How to Use Newspaper As a Weed Blanket Barrier
In the garden, unsightly weeds consume resources including fertilizer and moisture and often harbor plant diseases and pests. Using newspaper as a weed blanket barrier solves these problems by controlling weeds and saving hours of time normally devoted to garden maintenance. Recycling newspapers, the majority of which are now printed with soy-based ink, helps the environment by limiting the amount of material that reaches local landfills. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Locate an area of the garden that drains well and receives the proper amount of sunlight for the plants you are considering. For example, most vegetables need at least six hours of sun each day. Remove weeds that are large and woody or can't be knocked down by simply walking over them.
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Spread granulated organic fertilizer at the rate recommended on the package over designated garden area and water well.
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Spread layers of newspaper as thick as 10 pages over the garden area. Remember you will need to dig through the layers to plant seedlings, seeds, or new plants. Newspaper can be placed over the root zone of existing plants. An average application rate here is five pages. Apply newspaper over all existing weeds.
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Spray water over newspapers, or lightly cover with mulch, as you work to prevent the wind from blowing them away.
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Cover newspaper with 3 to 4 inches of mulch consisting of shredded bark, bark chips, straw, compost or hay.
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Tips & Warnings
Place drip irrigation system under the newspaper blanket before it is applied. Thick mulch will keep garden soil from warming as fast as uncovered soil in the spring, but can keep the soil from completely freezing. Bulb plants, such as daffodils or tulips, cannot come up through the newspaper barrier.
Avoid using slick, colored ads and inserts. They break down slowly, don't adhere to mulch and may contain hazardous chemicals.
