"nswong" wrote in message
...
"Jay Chan" wrote in message
om...

I am not trying to be negative. I just don't understand.

I'm outstanding with my job, so sometime when I asked a question,
people tend to think I'm "testing" them. The fact is, I really don't
know or just don't understand. :-(

Your words touching me. g So, I will try my best to reply you. ;-)

Actually, I don't quite understand why we would use newspaper
instead
of landscape fabric. The only benefit that I can see of using
newspapers is that they are free. But if we go through the trouble
of
putting newspapers to block weeds, we "may" be better off going all
the way and install landscape fabric instead. The landscape fabric
should block weeds better than newspaper, right? What's the reason
of
using newspaper instead of landscape fabrics anyway?

After some thinking, I think comparing two may make it easier to
understand.

Newspapers will decompose and become soil amendment.
Landscape fabric will not.

Newspapers will not block nightcrawler(earthworm) from pulling plant
debris to their tunnel as their food.
Landscape fabric will, I don't think you will find much earthworm
under the landscape fabric.

Newspapers will not block air and water to the soil, since they
decompose quickly.
Landscape fabric may, after sometime the holes may blocked by roots.

Newspapers: For adding soil amendment(carbon/organic matter), just
spread it on top of organic mulch(newspaper/manure/leaf...),
eventurely it will find it way to soil by critters.
Landscape fabric: Had to put it under the landscape fabric, or else
only nutrient will pass through the landscape fabric in liquid form,
but not much of organic matter.

Newspapers: When weeds find the way through the old newspaper/mulch,
just put new newspaper/mulch on top of weeds. Done!
Landscape fabric: Do you ever think of putting new landscape fabric on
top of old landscape fabric? ;-)

Newspapers: Never need to replace, just adding new one.
Landscape fabric: It's a nightmare to replace a landscape fabric that
have plant root grow into it.

Will I be able to cover a large area (such as 10-ft x 6-ft)

Using a sickle to cut what(weeds) above the mulch, leave it there, add
some new mulch. I can cover 50-ft x 5-ft within one hour, and it can
last for two months. Don't afraid of walking on the mulch, this will
not really compact the soil, walk on bare soil are another story.

Thanks for the excellent analysis. I couldn't have said it better myself.