newspapper mulching

[thismembername]

I am looking into topping my garden around plants with newspaper instead of buying the black mulching plastic. Anyone ever used newspaper to prevent weeds with good results?

Im assuming the ink on newspaper is all non toxic.

 

[Phil]

Probably not a good idea for mulch. Shredded newspaper with probably break down and compost in no time. Imagine what it'll look like after the first exposure to a good rain.... It'll probably be good for the soil, though!

 

[TOAW]

I've heard some people feed their worms news papers even phone books (book worms?). How do keep it from blowing away? Do Chinese peppers need theirs printed in Chinese? I think the ink is safe printers ink had to be without heavy metals (for the color the black has always been harmless carbon black) since about 1970.

 

[thismembername]

from what i understand, you lay it out as a ground cover, and spray it with water so it wont blow away while you lay it, then top it with mulch. the paper is supposed to keep all light from coming through to prevent weeds, but still is breathable for soil gas releases and feeds worms

 

[Cayennemist]

Stay away from shinny paper. The dull stuff is all soy based ink, that's what you want.

Even if it doesn't last all year, just throw on a new layer next time you get junk mail.

 

[P. Dreadie]

Many years ago when I first started a garden in part of my yard I went and bought some cardboard box material. Basically it was unfolded cardboard to turn into boxes. No printing and about a 1/4" thick. I cut the boxes and spread them out. I used a few cinder blocks to hold it down. Worked good to kill off the weeds in that area. At the end of the season the cardboard material had broken down pretty good and it tilled into the soil real easy.

 

[etothepii]

I have used sheets of newspaper, covered with grass clippings. I found that after being soaked and dried a few times, the newspaper actually sheeted water away from the plants. Not good, and I had to punch holes in it.

Really kept the weeds down though. Nonexistent. Once I got a handle on the watering, it worked out ok. But the plan was still pretty dumb. What purpose did the grass clippings serve? None.

This year, I am keeping bags of shredded paper(old bills and such) on hand, and when I get grass clippings, I'm going to mix them 50/50 with the paper and use it as a mulch.

Hopefully the carbon will balance out the nitrogen in the grass, and as it decomposes, it will block weeds, let water through, any keep worms happy.

 

[brownb4]

i use a layer of news paper beneath our mulch in the flower beds. it works well for us. a thin layer maybe 2 sheets thick and then 3"-4" of mulch. no weeds all season. we do get a few weeds around the edges but nothing you cant keep up with.