"tenplay" wrote in message
...
Someone in this dg recently suggested using layers of newspaper to
prevent weeds. I have a 10x12 area on the side of the house that is not
used for anything but always gets overgrown with weeds. It is used
primarily as just a passageway between the front and back yards. Not
wanting to use chemicals if not necessary, I am thinking of using
newspaper with a layer of wood chips or mulch. How exactly do you lay
the newspaper to be most effective? How thick of a layer? Should it be
wet or dry? About how long before it has to be replaced? How does it
compare with the commercial black weed prevention sheets? Thanks for
any advice.

what worked for me in suppressing oxalis. 6 to 10 layers of newspaper (even
more should not be a problem) which should be damped down. Either soak in a
couple of cms in a wheel barrow or mist over with a hose when down. Over lay
the sheets across each other so there are no gaps. It will last no more than
a year, dependant on how thick you layer it worm activity etc, before it
breaks down or dissappears all together. I reckon it works very nicely and
cuts out all of the weeds whilst it is down. A layer of mulch over the top
will suppress most of what makes it through the newspaper over time. If you
simply leave it down as you described it should be good for a least 3 years.

You could throw a mulch several inchs deep of soil and compost over the top
and plant in to that. The plants roots will dig down through the newspaper.
This is a system you can repeat year after year as need dictates. Newspaper
and then compost, plant. When weeds start to break through more paper and
compost and plant. Etc etc.

If you simply want to plant and forget about it weed mats will suppress
weeds for longer than newspaper. You will need to cut through the weed mat
for plants. Some plants will mix their roots into the weed mat. I much
prefer using newspaper and continually building up the soil rather than
laying down weed mat as a permanent dead garden. I don't recommend
composting over a weed mat and building a garden over the top. In a few
years time the weed mat may be troublesome as plants put their roots down.
Newspaper at the same level will no longer be around. An alternative to
newspaper could be cardboard. I have found that really good at the bottom of
raised gardens to knock off grasses and weeds.

rob