paper mulch

I love vegetable gardening, but HATE weeding. I've heard that there's thick paper mulch that comes in rolls. That seems like a good idea to me because you have to dispose of other mulches. I've tried using plastic mulch, but I live in a windy area where any opening leads to soil dryness and the plastic eventually ripping and coming loose. Do you think that there's a heavy enough paper mulch that would lie on the ground? I have good success with cardboard, but I can never find enough to do my whole garden.

I have used this a couple times. It works, but it disintegrates before the end of the season--at least, it did for me. I have had better luck saving up newspapers and using that 6 sheets thick and covering it with shredded bark or something. Or just using a dust mulch and hoeing. You might be able to get boxes from your municipal recycling. In the past I have driven up to where the bins are for dropping off paper/cardboard and just taken out what I need. I figure I am recycling it.

How about roll ends of newsprint? Our local newspaper sells the ends really cheap- back in FL they even gave it away- You could put it as thick as you want- and no ink to contend with!

When your plastic is ripping, is that even with being covered with pine bark or such? Would just piling the organic mulch of thicker help?

But yeah, if you can get the paper to work, it will eventually decompose itself, too. Maybe cardboard boxes even? Depending on how hardcore your city is about recycling, businesses might be happy to have you take their trash.

I really like the newsprint. Can't get it from local newspaper so I'm always really happy when I receive it as packing. I'd check out the local recycling. That works around here.

Interesting information here because I am building up an area for lasagna gardening this year. I am using cardboard and newspaper as well. A friend saved me a lot of newpaper and we get larger shipping boxes at work. I saved the bigger ones throughout the past year. Some companies also use shredded cardboard for packing material. Others use styrofoam so if you dumpster dive be sure and look in the box. Dump the styro but don't make a mess around the dumpster or the businesses will be gunning for us. lol

A suggestion would be to find out who carries the newspapers that are in the newstands at all the stores. Those folks pull the old papers out and dispose of them when the new ones are delivered. I would bet they'd be glad to share what they normally have to dispose of. Just a thought.

I had really good results mulching my tomatoes with newspaper, several layers thick. I sprinkled it as a put it down, then put a thin (2-inch) layer of old/composted hay to help. Almost completely weed free!

David

Hi, I feel your pain, lol. I check every source that might have paper or cardboard.

If you have a small grocery store near by, they are usually happy to let you take boxes. I save all cardboard boxes that I get from the mail or items I bought. I don't use boxes with shiny paper. I even use pizza boxes and don't have trouble with rodents.

I can get boxes from our ABC store.

I ask any small store where I do business if I can have their boxes.

Our library is happy to let me have their old newspapers.

I bought a cheap paper shredder and shred all old bills and all paper work that is eight years old and don't need for IRS any more. Shredded paper is great but water it right away so it won't blow away.

I will ask anyone: "Can I have that?" They are a happy not to have to dispose of it themselves.

I cover everything with mulch of some kind. If paper dries out it will fly away except for shredded paper which forms a kind of paper mache.

Earthworms love paper and it's great for enhancing your soil.

If I sound obsessive it's because I am. Our soil in southeast NC is horrible. When we moved here seven years ago we did not have one earthworm. It was just sun baked clay topped with weeds. Finally I am seeing some progress and am thrilled to find worms.

Good luck to you,
Helen

Helen ~ I am guessing you also stay away from those wax coated boxes that fruits and vegies are sometimes packed in? I always figured the wax wouldn't break down or absorb water well.

This message was edited Dec 20, 2010 12:53 PM

htcoe - your soil sounds similar to ours. 2011 will be our 5th summer here. The first spring after we moved I found a handful of earthworms in the corner of the lot near our neighbor's trees. Now we have so many, that some critter comes by during the night each spring and eats as many as it can find!

podster--I had a couple of those waxy produce boxes. You're right they lasted a long time. I had one small organic store which offered to save their compostables for a customer to use. It really kickstarted the brown-leaf compost. I really can't remember if I kept the waxy box until it finally gave up, or if I just sent to our paper recycle since it wouldn't rot easily. Probably recycled.

Thanks... that was what I had suspected! 8 )

Newspapers are the best for your garden.. I read where they will prevent weeds growing in a new garden if you lay newspaper over the new area for 5 weeks..then this will produce beautiful soil for you to plant in. I plan on doing this for a new garden in the spring. I hope it works as our soil here is also yuck!

Thanks everyone. I've read a lot of good advice. I have a few problems though. I don't read the newspaper anymore and the stores around here are very quick to put cardboard in big crushing containers. I think I'll try my luck with heating and air conditioning companies. I was hoping that I could find an easy solution by finding thick paper mulch in rolls. However, sometimes easy can be another word for expensive.

Helen,

I don't know what the penalty might be...but we have large bins in school parking lots, and at various retailers for recycling newspapers. You might "borrow" some of those papers--you'd be recycling, just in a different way.

David R

Try your local newspapaper for roll ends- in Florida they gave them away- here they get a few dollars for them, but it's a great deal- no dirty ink to deal with. I buy them to use for patterns when I sew & quilt- may use some for mulch too.

When I get boxes with that shiny, waxy paper on them I use them in the walking paths since I don't care if they break down! If you are trying to create new gardens then newspaper, regular shredded paper and cardboard are great. But it seems that no matter what I use for mulch (paper, straw, leaves, wood chips, etc.) the weed seeds get carried by the birds or through the air because I always have something germinating in all corners and crevices or on top of the mulch! I have been told that weeds are a sign you have great soil!! They know what's good! I have to keep believing it or go crazy. But weeding is a cinch once you have created this great soil compared to what I had before! LOL
I now grow tomatoes in straw bales so that ended the weeding problems with them. It is the lettuce and smaller veggies that are a challenge to keep weeded. I have used paper strips beside the lettuce, carrots, and spinach rows which helps.

I get my newspaper from my ceramic teacher/friend as her husband gets 3-4 different newspapers.... perhaps you could ask your neighbors?? Or friends?? Just a thought.

Two potential sources of good corrugated cardboard are craigslist free category, sometimes people want to give away their moving boxes.

Also, stores that receive palleted shipments may have pallet sheets which are 4x4 corrugated...... Now, I just this evening read about this and am going to check into some local stores to see if I can get someone to save them for me as I plan to do some serious sheet mulching this year.

Another thought I had was going to local stores that carry white goods such as kitchen appliances -- probably not your big box stores like Lowes but smaller stores -- they may have the cardboard boxes from those..... from time to time.

In Texas, at least in my area there are several groups called "Freecycle" where people post things they want rid of ..or want... this saves it going to landfills if possible.
I have rec'd all sorts of things & it has saved me a lot of money.

Our local freecycle always has listings from people wanting someone to come take their moving boxes.

I just learned also that windshield repair places are a good source of very thick corrugated with no staples, the person that shared that said she used this to get rid of blackberry infestations! (after cutting down what she could and removing the larger rootballs......)

I really have to thank everyone. I never thought of going to windshield repair places for cardboard. When early spring comes I'm going to start my cardboard round up.

Pet stores may also be able to help.... I guess the ideas can be endless! hahaha

I got some good pieces today from a local farm and garden store. Appliance stores are also a source. I about have what I need now. Tomorrow a load of topsoil delivered, then, onward!

In returning to the original question, though, I first learned about the sheet mulch method from a lovely but very stingy lady I used to help out in her garden in NC. She paid me 12 an hour. It was her practice to lay down newspaper and put pinestraw on top, and then plant her annual flower cutting garden between rows of that. As I recall the cutting flowers were mostly, or entirely, gladioli. She was real stingy about how much pinestraw she would buy to put over the newspaper, too.

Nevertheless, it did work out well. Works better if you are willing to use thicker layers, though. :)

that looks like a great idea Kylaluaz, it looks like it's going to work very well!!! Let us know when it's really going!! ..or growing! hahahaha

Thank you, I will. Today I spent about 4 and a half hours shoveling topsoil mixed with manure into wheelbarrow and then up the little hill and then spread on the beds.

Shew am I sore! Hope I can move tomorrow! :)

a nice hot shower, or soak in the tub will help!! hahahaha

Kylaluaz my back is feeling sympathy pains for you. Oh to be 25 again.

Oh, I don't know, I am kinda glad to be way on the other side of 25. :) but thanks.

Hot bath was the correct treatment, I'm doin good. My hands ache a little though.

For those of you trying to kill weeds with the newspaper/cardboard mulch, if you sprinkle corn gluten meal before you lay the paper/cardboard, the meal will inhibit weed seeds, especially bermuda grass. It's a natural pre-emergent herbicide. Here's a link:

http://www.hort.iastate.edu/gluten/

I used this 2 or 3 years ago to control weeds along the alley behind our backyard and it has worked great. Recently I have noticed a bunch of new weeds along the fence-line but before this year, it was spot check occassionally for weed control.

I bought a 5 lb container at the nursery, price tag is missing, don't remember the cost, certainly under $20.

Well, personally I don't want to do that because I would rather not support the corn ag industry, as so much of how corn is grown is damaging to the environment and a high percentage of it is GMO at this point -- something like 80% I have read. And, don't get me wrong! God bless all farmers working to live..... but somehow a change has to come and this is one of the ways I personally contribute to that change.

I do my best to stay away from corn these days. I find the methods I use work just fine without extra help...... not that I don't run into problems! but for one thing, if the soil is well built, weeds are very easy to pull, and if the plantings are well arranged, the number of weeds is greatly reduced. Since I just spent a ton of money (for me!) on a delivery of soil -- gosh, never done that in MY LIFE! ;) -- I am personally not looking to spend more, either, unless it is on amendments or seeds or tools........

The idea of paper or cardboard mulch, too, is to use something readily available that will otherwise just become landfill trash. Purchasing a packaged and marketed product to help it work kind of goes against the spirit of the thing, for me.

just my dollar's worth of opinion, there......

Okay, but GM foods are a very [very] long list. Soy is top of the list.

Back to weed control. I am using this corn gluten meal to slowly, but surely, rid my yard and gardens of bermuda grass that was planted by the previous owner. I think this is a good, organic solution to a seriously obnoxious problem. Other methods are much more lethal.

I commend Kylaluaz for his/her committment to this cause, but until I have more time to completely grow all my own food and meat, I'll stay the course with the corn gluten meal. I do what I can to be kind to the environment. I can't do it all, I work some very long days and need a shortcut here and there.

I know, no one can do it all. Up to each person where to draw the line. It is not that hard, though, to avoid most if not all GM foods. I don't consume soy either, or white sugar, most of which is made from GM sugarbeets.

but food is way off topic here.

I am just hoping with my sheet mulch I'm not creating too much habitat for slugs....... but I'll have to find out. :)

That slug bait is totally benign other than to the slugs- so I've heard--Ironite?

I believe it is iron phosphate. I wonder what it will do to the soil. I also hear assurances that it is all right. Perhaps I am foolish not to trust them. Still investigating.........

Are you guys using just plain newspaper? The color print is it ok or not? I hate pulling weeds. We have a tiller but that only helps in the rows.
Teresa in KY

I'd try to avoid the color print, especially the glossy pages like ads and stuff. Several layers of newspaper, yep, works. You need to put mulch over it though, to hold it down and hold moisture in........ Cardboard is better than the newspaper, IMO.

I agree with the mulch or at least a thin layer of soil. I have used layers of newpaper but not cardboard. It will work but I don't care for how it looks in the garden. A friend of mine uses it around her tomatoes every year.