Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Why I'm Hoarding My Newspapers


Tis the season!  Gardening season!  I've been hoarding my newspapers for the past month and continue to do so.  Why?  Well I shred them and use them as mulch.  Free mulch!

I don't use the glossy inserts - just the newspaper.  Although some people are freaked out by using newspaper in gardens, the USDA says it's fine.  The ink used in newspapers is almost always soy-based (switched from a chemical base years ago - mostly for worker safety).  Paper comes from wood, obviously, and minimal amount of bleach is used in newsprint.  The "whiter" the paper - the more bleach is used.  It actually biodegrades really nicely.  Worms love it.  

I used newspaper mulch in the past and it works great.  And it's cheap.  And it helps the environment by reusing it yourself.  

I wrote about this three years ago - when I first thought about trying it out.  I'm getting old.  You can read my original post HERE.  

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