How to Use Newspaper in Landscaping

A gardener often faces an ongoing battle against weeds, watching a growing area regularly to ensure that weeds do not begin encroaching on desired plants in a garden. Weed-fighting tools include chemicals to kill or prevent weeds from beginning to grow, tools for digging weeds from the soil and blocking materials to stop weeds from emerging from the soil. Among the least expensive weed-blocking materials is the newspaper, which is useful in landscaping to control weed growth.

Garden hose
Mulch (shredded wood chips, rocks or bark)

Instructions

- 1
  Place a three- to five-layer stack of newspapers directly onto the soil between desired plants. Overlap similar stacks of newspaper by about 6 inches over the entire planting area to ensure adequate coverage.
- 2
  Moisten the newspapers after you finish covering the soil area. Spray the garden hose lightly over the stacks of newspaper to saturate them. Moistening the newspaper helps to prevent them from blowing away, and it begins the slow decomposition process, which enriches the soil.
- 3
  Cover the newspapers with a 3- to 4-inch layer of mulch. The mulch prevents the newspaper from blowing away, and it conceals the unattractive layer of newspaper over the soil.

DIY Bush Hog

How to Make a Garden Cistern

Garden Tools & Supplies