Would it be ok to use brown paper grocery bags for mulch as one would
use newspaper?
Thank you.

On May 1, 10:12*am, starrysmile wrote:
Would it be ok to use brown paper grocery bags for mulch as one would
use newspaper?
Thank you.

Absolutely.

On May 1, 11:21*am, Mycosimian wrote:
On May 1, 10:12*am, starrysmile wrote:

Would it be ok to use brown paper grocery bags for mulch as one would
use newspaper?
Thank you.

Absolutely.

Thanks! Great way to recycle them then.

g'day starrysmile,

we use any ot those sort of bags to put craps of paper generated in
the house, used tissues etc.,. and this all then goes out to our fruit
tree growing area and covered with mulch.

around here if it rots it stays and gets used on site.

On Fri, 1 May 2009 08:12:22 -0700 (PDT), starrysmile
wrote:
snipped
With peace and brightest of blessings,

len & bev

--
"Be Content With What You Have And
May You Find Serenity and Tranquillity In
A World That You May Not Understand."

http://www.lensgarden.com.au/

In article
,
starrysmile wrote:

Would it be ok to use brown paper grocery bags for mulch as one would
use newspaper?
Thank you.

Don't use the ones with colored logos on them though, as you wouldn't
use colored ads from the newspaper either.
--

- Billy
"For the first time in the history of the world, every human being
is now subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals, from the
moment of conception until death." - Rachel Carson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI29wVQN8Go

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1072040.html

"Billy" wrote in message
...
In article
,
starrysmile wrote:

Would it be ok to use brown paper grocery bags for mulch as one would
use newspaper?
Thank you.

Don't use the ones with colored logos on them though, as you wouldn't
use colored ads from the newspaper either.


Colored inks are no more toxic than black ink and inks are no longer toxic,
haven't been for many years. Years ago inks (like paints) contained heavy
metals like lead, cadmium, etc. but no longer. Paper/cardboard with colored
printing is perfectly safe, computer printer ink is safe too... however
can't vouch for what comes from China.

On May 1, 2:58*pm, "brooklyn1" wrote:
"Billy" wrote in message

....

In article
,
starrysmile wrote:

Would it be ok to use brown paper grocery bags for mulch as one would
use newspaper?
Thank you.

Don't use the ones with colored logos on them though, as you wouldn't
use colored ads from the newspaper either.

Colored inks are no more toxic than black ink and inks are no longer toxic,
haven't been for many years. Years ago inks (like paints) contained heavy
metals like lead, cadmium, etc. but no longer. *Paper/cardboard with colored
printing is perfectly safe, computer printer ink is safe too... however
can't vouch for what comes from China.

Toner from laser printers and photocopiers contains polymers to help
it adhere to paper and also some carcinogens. These things are
probably less of a risk to you, in your garden, as to people working
in offices full of old printers.

"Mycosimian" wrote in message
...
On May 1, 2:58 pm, "brooklyn1" wrote:
"Billy" wrote in message

...

In article
,
starrysmile wrote:

Would it be ok to use brown paper grocery bags for mulch as one would
use newspaper?
Thank you.

Don't use the ones with colored logos on them though, as you wouldn't
use colored ads from the newspaper either.

Colored inks are no more toxic than black ink and inks are no longer
toxic,
haven't been for many years. Years ago inks (like paints) contained heavy
metals like lead, cadmium, etc. but no longer. Paper/cardboard with
colored
printing is perfectly safe, computer printer ink is safe too... however
can't vouch for what comes from China.

Toner from laser printers and photocopiers contains polymers to help
it adhere to paper and also some carcinogens. These things are
probably less of a risk to you, in your garden, as to people working
in offices full of old printers.

===========

Everything in excess is toxic, even water. Toner used for printing
evaporates from paper almost immediately so it never gets directly from the
printed paper into the soil. All sorts of schmutz is in the air and we
really can't do much about that getting into soil... and as long as we
breathe so what. You do realize that soil in of itself is fairly toxic, try
not to eat too much of it at one time. Truth is our planet is toxic, that's
why eventually we die, and become soil.

On May 1, 4:04*pm, "brooklyn1" wrote:
"Mycosimian" wrote in message

...
On May 1, 2:58 pm, "brooklyn1" wrote:



"Billy" wrote in message

....

In article
,
starrysmile wrote:

Would it be ok to use brown paper grocery bags for mulch as one would
use newspaper?
Thank you.

Don't use the ones with colored logos on them though, as you wouldn't
use colored ads from the newspaper either.

Colored inks are no more toxic than black ink and inks are no longer
toxic,
haven't been for many years. Years ago inks (like paints) contained heavy
metals like lead, cadmium, etc. but no longer. Paper/cardboard with
colored
printing is perfectly safe, computer printer ink is safe too... however
can't vouch for what comes from China.

Toner from laser printers and photocopiers contains polymers to help
it adhere to paper and also some carcinogens. These things are
probably less of a risk to you, in your garden, as to people working
in offices full of old printers.

===========

Everything in excess is toxic, even water. *Toner used for printing
evaporates from paper almost immediately so it never gets directly from the
printed paper into the soil. *All sorts of schmutz is in the air and we
really can't do much about that getting into soil... and as long as we
breathe so what. *You do realize that soil in of itself is fairly toxic, try
not to eat too much of it at one time. *Truth is our planet is toxic, that's
why eventually we die, and become soil.

I'm not sure if this is good or troubling news. Good because now I am
less paranoid of that stuff building up in my garden. Bad because I'm
surrounded by toner evaporators at work.

In article ,
"brooklyn1" wrote:

"Billy" wrote in message
...
In article
,
starrysmile wrote:

Would it be ok to use brown paper grocery bags for mulch as one would
use newspaper?
Thank you.

Don't use the ones with colored logos on them though, as you wouldn't
use colored ads from the newspaper either.


Colored inks are no more toxic than black ink and inks are no longer toxic,
haven't been for many years. Years ago inks (like paints) contained heavy
metals like lead, cadmium, etc. but no longer. Paper/cardboard with colored
printing is perfectly safe, computer printer ink is safe too... however
can't vouch for what comes from China.

http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/wastmang/msw8.pdf
Recycling Newspaper for Mulch in Home Gardens

Slick pages of any paper
product are not recommended because some inks in
these materials may still contain heavy metals. Most
inks now used have organic soybean oil or petroleum
as a base. Recycling old newspapers into a mulch
material, rather than dumping it in landfills is an
environmentally friendly practice.

Hmmm. Not as bad as I thought. I mean the colored sections of the paper,
pictures and ads. Just avoid the slick colored sections. God, I feel
like a racist but y'all know what I mean.
--

- Billy
"For the first time in the history of the world, every human being
is now subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals, from the
moment of conception until death." - Rachel Carson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI29wVQN8Go

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1072040.html

"starrysmile" wrote in message

Would it be ok to use brown paper grocery bags for mulch as one would
use newspaper?

Ah memories. I haven't seen a paper grocery bag for 25+ years. I remember
them with great fondness.

And yes, you could use then as a weed barrier with a more attractive
material on top as a mulch - dunno if you'd actually want to use them as a
mulch on their own though.

"Mycosimian" wrote in message
...
On May 1, 4:04 pm, "brooklyn1" wrote:
"Mycosimian" wrote in message

...
On May 1, 2:58 pm, "brooklyn1" wrote:



"Billy" wrote in message

...

In article
,
starrysmile wrote:

Would it be ok to use brown paper grocery bags for mulch as one would
use newspaper?
Thank you.

Don't use the ones with colored logos on them though, as you wouldn't
use colored ads from the newspaper either.

Colored inks are no more toxic than black ink and inks are no longer
toxic,
haven't been for many years. Years ago inks (like paints) contained
heavy
metals like lead, cadmium, etc. but no longer. Paper/cardboard with
colored
printing is perfectly safe, computer printer ink is safe too... however
can't vouch for what comes from China.

Toner from laser printers and photocopiers contains polymers to help
it adhere to paper and also some carcinogens. These things are
probably less of a risk to you, in your garden, as to people working
in offices full of old printers.

===========

Everything in excess is toxic, even water. Toner used for printing
evaporates from paper almost immediately so it never gets directly from
the
printed paper into the soil. All sorts of schmutz is in the air and we
really can't do much about that getting into soil... and as long as we
breathe so what. You do realize that soil in of itself is fairly toxic,
try
not to eat too much of it at one time. Truth is our planet is toxic,
that's
why eventually we die, and become soil.

I'm not sure if this is good or troubling news. Good because now I am
less paranoid of that stuff building up in my garden. Bad because I'm
surrounded by toner evaporators at work.

=========

Well, it's not a good idea to be constantly breathing toner fumes, or any
toxic fumes. But with most we have no control, not in this modern world.
Anyone who drives is sucking in the fumes from the vehicles in front of
them. Probably the best thing you can do is to be working in your garden,
certainly cleaner air than in your office or on the highway. The ink on the
paper you use for mulch is the least of it. These days most of the
colorants used are natural vegetable matter, practically everything we eat
contains natural colorants or is itself a natural colorant. Today most
foods and beverages are colored or they'd be boring shades of grey...do you
really think butter is naturally yellow... if you read labels you'll be very
surprized... that raspberry ice cream is colored with beet juice.

"Billy" wrote in message

Don't use the ones with colored logos on them though, as you wouldn't
use colored ads from the newspaper either.

Why not?

These days printers ink doesn't have the heavy metals like it used to have
'in the olden days' so I can't see any reason not to use any paper with any
coloured ink on it.

"brooklyn1" wrote in message
"Billy" wrote in message

Don't use the ones with colored logos on them though, as you wouldn't
use colored ads from the newspaper either.


Colored inks are no more toxic than black ink and inks are no longer
toxic, haven't been for many years.

Ah drat - I should have read the thread before making a redundant post!

"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote in message
...
"starrysmile" wrote in message

Would it be ok to use brown paper grocery bags for mulch as one would
use newspaper?

Ah memories. I haven't seen a paper grocery bag for 25+ years. I
remember them with great fondness.

And yes, you could use then as a weed barrier with a more attractive
material on top as a mulch - dunno if you'd actually want to use them as a
mulch on their own though.

In some cases attractive is not important, and and covering with bits and
pieces creates a lot of extra labor. I use any kind of corrogated cardboard
in my vegetable garden, I don't care how it looks... covering it with say
wood chips would only present a problem in a vegetable garden as it becomes
mixed in with the soil.