Hello again, rose-lovers. I'm trying to learn how to improve my
rose-growing, and am back with another question.

In the exchange with Mike called "Unruly Red Ribbons" Allegra describes
the following way to mulch your rose bed:

Pre-emergent weed killer. Buy yourself a paper shredder and
turn every bit of paper into mulch. First clean the bed well,
apply some weed killer in a calm day so there is no wind
to affect the foliage. Aim only at the ground and do not
spray openly or broadcast the spray. Just make sure to do
it so that it covers the area where the pests are. Next put
your shredded paper all over the bed, covering every inch
of space that you can see. Wet the paper well and then
cover the whole thing with manure or barkdust, whatever
you use for regular mulch. The paper works itself like
a lasagna bed, only that it keeps the weeds under and
allows the worms to do the work.

Well, this sounded great. I got all excited, and I've been collecting
newspapers ever since! I was going to start shredding and mulching ... but
then realized that Allegra lives in Portland, where it rains 4 days a week.
So your newspaper is going to go to mush in a few weeks. However, I live in
Santa Barbara, CA, a high desert; we might only get 4 really big, soaking
rains a year. if I make lasagne, it might take several years for the paper
to decompose, if it ever does! I've occasionally used folded newspaper to
cover the holes in plastic flowerpots, and when I repotted the plants
several years later, often the paper is still in good shape! Am I going to
regret this lasagne making?
Maybe I should just stick with preemergent and bark mulch??!!

Anyhow, the idea still sounds great, and I think I'd still like to try it.
How thick should the paper shreddings be? Just barely covering the dirt, or
covering it thickly? Should I redo this paper mulch under the bark every
year? And do you rake off the bark and save it, or do you till it in? How
about the paper? Should I discard the old paper shreddings and put down new,
or just leave the old and put down more?

Thanks to all -- you've given me a lot of great advice! I really appreciate
your ideas and suggestions. And I'm sure my roses would thank you if they
could!
Sue in SoCal