We're going to plant a one acre garden and want to lay down Weed Guard paper mulch, but we don't have the $300+ to purchase the commercial kind. Can we use newspaper (or something else), and how will they compare to the commercial Weed Guard? |
I've tried Weed Guard paper mulch myself, and actually prefer newspaper! Newspaper is harder to wrangle with on a windy day, but I just splash water on it to keep it in place. I also cover it with straw so it won't blow away when it dries out. Other options are corrugated cardboard and box board, which are more durable, easier to handle, and don't require anchoring. All are more porous than Weed Guard, so your plants will get more moisture. They degrade easily, too - just till them into the soil at the end of the season! Hurrah for frugality! |