Re: composting newsprint

Kay--I just started to use the newspaper this fall so I'm not very confident
about my technique but this is what I've done: separate the paper into
sections (sports, national, local, etc.),  evenly spread the folded sections
over the top of the material in the #1 bin of my 3 bin composter, every 4-5
days provide aeration space by covering  the paper with other normal
compostable material or some soil or  #2 bin compost ,  every 2 weeks or so
scatter an cup of urea (pure nitrogen),  keep the paper damp.  I am too lazy
to make the effort of tearing up the paper as some have suggested and it
seems that there would be a problem with wind blowing it away.  Does anyone
have a good method of shredding the stuff?

Hank Zumach
Stoddard, WI
zone 4
----- Original Message -----
From: Kay Dye <Kdye1@AOL.COM>
To: <shadegardens@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU>
Sent: Monday, January 17, 2000 9:15 AM
Subject: Re: [SG] composting newsprint


> Hank,
> I would be interested to hear how you do this?  Do you layer it, shred it?
> Sounds like a great idea.  So many have used it for a weed block, I'm
> surprised it hasn't been brought up before.
>
> Kay Dye
>
> In a message dated 1/15/00 10:46:48 AM Central Standard Time,
> zumach@EXECPC.COM writes:
>
> << I am curious if anyone has had experience with composting newsprint.
Last
> fall I began to add it to my regular compost bin with apparently good
> results. The earth worms were definitely drawn to it. I only used those
> sections which had no/minimum color and did not use anything which was
glossy
> or "stiff". Our local newspaper is printed using a soy based ink. Any
> comments?
>
>  Hank Zumach >>
>
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