Newspaper is an economical and biodegradable resource for numerous gardening applications. Gardeners can repurpose old newsprint to manage weeds, create soil amendments, and assist with propagation. This accessible product offers a simple, chemical-free way to improve soil health and streamline garden maintenance. Understanding the proper preparation and application techniques ensures it becomes a valuable tool for sustainable gardening.
Preparing Newspaper for Garden Use
Before integrating newsprint into the garden, preparation is necessary for safety and effectiveness. Modern black-and-white print generally uses safe, soy-based inks. However, remove glossy pages, colored inserts, or heavily inked advertising sections, as these may contain pigments or coatings that slow decomposition. Staples, tape, and binding glue must also be removed to prevent non-biodegradable debris in the soil.
Shredding vs. Sheets
The preparation method depends on the intended application. For use as a soil amendment or in a vermicompost system, thoroughly shred the paper into narrow strips to increase surface area. This ensures rapid decomposition and proper aeration. When creating a physical barrier for mulching, keep the newsprint in large, full sheets for effective layering.
Method 1: Newspaper as a Weed Barrier
Newspaper sheet mulch creates an effective, temporary barrier that controls weeds by blocking sunlight. Begin by clearing the designated area, cutting existing weeds close to the soil surface. This creates a flat plane for the newsprint, preventing air pockets where weeds could exploit.
Apply the paper in thick layers directly onto the exposed soil, using a minimum of four to eight sheets of thickness. Overlap each sheet significantly by about 10 to 15 centimeters to ensure no gaps remain. Even a small opening will allow light to pass through and encourage weed growth.
Thoroughly saturate the laid paper with water to make it pliable and heavy. Wetting helps the newsprint conform tightly to the soil surface and prevents wind from lifting the sheets. Immediately cover the paper layer with a thick organic mulch, such as wood chips, straw, or compost, to a depth of five to eight centimeters. This cover keeps the newspaper out of direct sunlight and holds the barrier firmly in place while it slowly breaks down.
Method 2: Alternative Applications
Beyond its role as a weed barrier, newsprint serves several other useful functions within the garden ecosystem, particularly as a carbon source. Shredded newspaper is an excellent “brown” material for the compost pile, balancing the nitrogen-rich “green” materials like kitchen scraps and grass clippings. Newsprint is highly carbonaceous, with a ratio potentially exceeding 500:1, requiring significant nitrogen-rich material to offset it for rapid decomposition.
Seed Starting
The paper is also useful for starting seeds indoors. It can be folded into small, biodegradable pots using a can or jar as a mold. These containers allow seedlings to be transplanted directly into the garden soil without root disturbance, as the paper decomposes naturally over several weeks.
Fruit Ripening
A final use is accelerating the ripening process for climacteric fruits, such as avocados, pears, and tomatoes, which continue to ripen after harvest. Wrapping the fruit in a sheet of newsprint traps the ethylene gas naturally emitted by the fruit. This concentrates the plant hormone around the produce, speeding up the softening and sweetening process.