Putting newspapers in your garden might sound unusual, but it could have one major benefit. Weeds can make your garden look messy so it’s important to keep them at bay when you can.
It can be costly to buy expensive weed killers and they don’t always work. Instead, there’s a much more affordable and cheap item which you might already have lying around your house – a newspaper. Yard Blogger says: “Natural solutions to weed problems are generally safer to use, without the potential of harming your family and pets, and the environment.
“One way to naturally keep weeds from growing in your garden is mulching your garden with newspaper.
“This should choke the weeds and discourage their growth, and at the same time, keeps your soil fertile.”
Gardening Know How adds that you should mulch your garden bed with newspaper when seedlings or young plants are about four to five inches in height.
It suggests the best way to use newspaper is to weigh down its corners with nearby rocks you’ve removed from the garden soil, or use hay or soil to hold it down.
You should cover the entire garden in this manner for weed control, it says.
Weeds can hide your other plants which you’ll want to stand out, and they can also hide the plant from pollinators which can be detrimental.
They also make your plants more susceptible to pests and diseases, which, if left to flourish, can provide a valuable overwintering and hiding spot for pests.
It’s important to weed your garden often to keep it in good shape. By removing weeds and keeping on top of them, your garden will stay from becoming overgrown or unkempt.
Before you lay down the newspaper in your garden, you should take some time to remove any existing weeds.
You can hand pull out weeds, making sure to remove the root where possible and you can apply a treatment before mulching if you want to take an extra precaution.
By completing this easy job, you’ll be able to ensure your garden is ready for the colder weather of autumn and winter.
