Re: no-til gardening (Newspaper Over Soil)
David King wrote:
>
> I have used newspaper over my soil, piling on organic matter over the top of it,
> in the past very successfully. I like it, works well to keep out competing
> weeds, hold in moisture etc. There is one important consideration however: The
> newspaper will effectively keep water from entering the soil as well! I solved
> this initially by stabbing it with my garden fork, which worked well with
> tomatoes and less so with others - the eventual solution was drip tubing under
> the newspaper - viola a whole system...
>
David
This puzzles me, I have used newspaper for years and haven't noticed
this problem. I wonder if you are using a much thicker layer than I do.
For winter fallow vegetable beds I might use up to 10 sheets, but in
summer I would only use three or four.
Moira
--
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata, New Zealand. (on the "Ring of Fire" in the SW Pacific).
Lat. 41:16S Long. 174:58E. Climate: Mediterranean/Temperate
