2007-02-13 03:27:06 · 5 answers · asked by Jay Dub 3 in Home & Garden ➔ Garden & Landscape
Newspaper is GREAT for composting. The only problem is that you have to get it into small pieces. Might I suggest mulching with it? Put down 3-4 layers of pages and put rocks or extra dirt on top to keep it from blowing away. During the growing season it will eliminate weeds, and will decompose over time. When you till the next spring it becomes great humus. It also attracts earthworms. (shade) Oops, forgot- Don't use the glossy pages. They will never decompose.
2007-02-13 03:38:53 · answer #1 · answered by saaanen 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It sure is! I use newspaper as mulch under grass clippings. My garden isn't the prettiest until the veges/flowers grow but I don't have any weeds to pull whatsoever.
What Adina mentioned as Lasagna Gardening is awesome. I bought the book on it and money well spent. Gotta have tons of newspaper thou. Best bet would be to try your local paper for it. They recycle any that wasn't bought so they usually have tons left over. (I know cause I work for my local paper) I put countless layers of newspaper down on a windless day, thoroughly wet it down with a garden hose sprayer, layered a bale of straw on top, then cow manure, straw, cow manure continuing till I had roughly a 3' high pile with some garden/yard/kitchen waste thrown in between. It slowly decomposed over the summer, fall, and now winter (did it last spring) and will be planting in it this spring. I did this all on top of an old driveway that is now part of our yard. Basically, anything you would put in your compost pile can be used for layering in Lasagna Gardening. Check out the link Adina gave you for more ideas.
Good luck! :-)
2007-02-13 11:58:41 · answer #2 · answered by blackbriar2006 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Newspaper is excellent for use in the garden, but you need to use the black and white parts of the paper and not the glossy shiny ads because they will not decompose properly. Most newspaper inks, I believe, are now soy based, so perfectly safe for the environment.
Here's a great link on using newspaper to make a raised bed garden. You may have heard it called Lasagna Gardening.
2007-02-13 03:57:17 · answer #3 · answered by Adina 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Pretty much all newspaper ink is vegetable based now, so it is OK.
Though there is the thought that it is more environmentally useful to recycle it back into newsprint - as once it is gone / decomposed, it is gone.
2007-02-13 05:06:02 · answer #4 · answered by Barbados Chick 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yes, it's awesome
2007-02-16 07:58:39 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋