Re: newspaper mulch
- Subject: Re: newspaper mulch
- From: T* &* M* R*
- Date: Sat, 01 Dec 2001 10:08:47 +1300
> "helene.pizzi" wrote:
>
> Just to add my 2 cents to this topic -
>
> With a lazy nature and hot dry summers, plus weeds that seem to prefer
> our rose beds to growing outside our garden, newspaper mulch has made
> our lives easuer and ourt plants happier.
Helen
As one "newspaper addict" to another I couldn't agree more. I use paper
under-mulch in both my vegetable and flower gardens and it does all you
suggest in the way of retaining moisture and keeping down weeds. I can
add one further good point - worms seem to love it and will stay busy
and near the surface in many situtions where they would otherwise have
gone down into the depths of the soil to protect themselves - all to the
good of the soil and one of the reasons why this method produces such a
great soil texture.
Just one small point. To some extent you are wasting the potential of
your good compost by using it as the top layer. It is not just good
humus, but full of many useful organisms to enliven the soil and if it
is on the surface exposed to hot dry air (not to mention a lot of UV
radiation) a lot of the "goodness" will be wasted. I tend to use mine
_under_ the paper, where it will stay moist and fully active, and then
make a topping of something more inert, like bark, pine needles, straw
or even wilted grsssclippings.
Moira
--
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata, New Zealand, SW Pacific. 12 hours ahead of Greenwich Time
