Newspapers can be a useful tool in your gardening arsenal to help suppress weeds in your garden beds. They’re an affordable and eco-friendly alternative to traditional weed barriers, and they’re easy to find. Here’s how you can effectively use newspaper to suppress weeds in your garden beds:
- Gather your supplies: You’ll need newspapers, a watering can or hose, and a layer of organic mulch (such as straw, leaves, or grass clippings).
- Prepare your garden bed: Remove any existing weeds or debris from your garden bed. If the soil is dry, give it a good watering before adding the newspaper.
- Add a layer of newspaper: Lay a thick layer of newspaper (about 5-10 sheets thick) over the entire surface of your garden bed. Be sure to overlap the edges of each sheet to prevent any gaps.
- Water the newspaper: Use a watering can or hose to wet the newspaper thoroughly. This will help it conform to the shape of the garden bed and keep it in place.
- Add a layer of mulch: Once the newspaper is wet, add a layer of organic mulch over the top of it. This will help hold the newspaper in place, provide additional weed suppression, and help retain moisture in the soil.
- Repeat as needed: If you notice any weeds popping up through the newspaper and mulch, simply add another layer of newspaper and mulch on top. This will help prevent any future weed growth and keep your garden beds looking neat and tidy.
Using newspaper as a weed barrier is a simple and effective way to suppress weeds in your garden beds without resorting to harmful chemicals or expensive landscaping fabric. Give it a try and see how it works for you!
Great information
Thank you!