Phisherman wrote:
Romy Beeck wrote:
Why should newspaper be better than fiber under mulch. Another thing
is
newspaper better with stone on it too?


After a few years the plastic fiber stuff breaks into pieces that
become a scattered mess. Newspaper breaks down much better. From a
recycle standpoint, newspaper is the select choice. No matter what
you use, seeds will eventually germinate.

Try this. Hold a piece of typical landscaping fabric up to the sun, and
look at it. You can see some light coming through. Not a lot, but you
know the sun is up there. Now hold 8 layers of newspaper up. You can't
see any light coming through.

Water will take a little longer to penetrate the newspaper than the
fabric, but while it's penetrating, it's soaking through, so you can
place either over the root zone of trees or shrubs.

But it's that lack of light that will keep most seeds from germinating.

Also, if the layers of mulch on top of the sheets is thin, thin black
landscape fabric will contribute to a warming of the soil. 8-layers of
mostly white newspaper (a typical page has much less than 20% coverage
with ink) will provide more thermal insulation as well, which reduces
the number of seeds that would germinate even if there was light, while
the landscape fabric will warm the soil sooner in the spring, and keep
it warmer into the fall. (Of course if you put enough mulch on top, this
difference is less pronounced.

While there can be *some* germination under 8-layers of newspaper, there
will be *less* germination than under typical landscape fabric when used
under the same conditions.

--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.
Blatant Plug: Books for the Pacific Northwest gardener:
http://www.holzemville.com/mall/nwgardener/index.html