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Posted: May/26/2009 8:32 AM PST
Hi, I'm new here. I want to do LOW maintenance gardening. If I want to create a new raised bed vegetable garden, could I put down layers of newspaper over the grass and add 6 to 8 inches of soil on top of that and plant this year using plants from a greenhouse? |
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Posted: May/26/2009 9:24 AM PST
Hey! Welcome to GG ~ my sis lives in "Trivers"!! My Mom is originally from Manty, but she lives in Kenosha now. So ... as to your questions, yes to all that you said. The newspaper will break down over time. Are you going to be planting vegetables in your new raised bed? The reason I asked is because of the ink (although most publishers should be using the "safe" kind by now). Raised beds will need to be watched for watering since some water will leach out of the sides. Other than that, they are a great way to go. |
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Posted: May/26/2009 9:29 AM PST
Many people have done just that if the soil is fertile.But allot of us have less than ideal soil may be a few bags of compost mixed in with the new soil would help.I think it would give you a head start for the coming years. Go for it and have fun. |
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Posted: May/26/2009 11:19 AM PST
Thank you! |
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Posted: May/26/2009 4:39 PM PST
If you are concerned about the ink on the newspapers you can always go to one of your local moving and storage companies and purchase some of their "packing paper", and that is like newspaper without any ink  Welcome to GG. I hope you get as much use out of the site as I do 
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Posted: May/27/2009 12:57 AM PST
Welcome! We are so happy that you have joined us and we are all excited about following your progress in this new adventure. |
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Posted: May/27/2009 11:48 AM PST
Miss Lilly told me to never use newspaper as a ground cover to start a bed. Don't laugh - PLEASE. She is amazing - and older than most of us...... She uses her "pee pads" to start a new bed. The large bed size type with the plastic on one side and the fiber fill stuff on the top. She takes an old ice pick a pokes some holes through the plastic. And the whole top of the fiber is covered in Epson salt. (I swear she is a hoot - and you can't tell her anything - she KNOWS IT ALL.) She does use her newspaper as a mulch - some she even shreads and uses as a moisture control. I know - I still need to take pictures - but please understand that she thinks that what she does/is doing is really nothing that needs to be shared. (My husband thinks I should be rigged with a video camera and then just post it on U TUBE.... at least you would have a link......... |
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Posted: Jun/05/2009 10:41 AM PST
A good place to find inkless papers is the printers. I have a local printer that sells the roll remainders for 5.00 and there is over a mile i would think. I go to the local free trader paper place and they put right in lobby. A few calls can probly get you all you will ever need. |
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Posted: Jun/05/2009 8:11 PM PST
pchonzik, If you get the Journal/Sentinel, or your local paper, you should be ok. They are using the soy inks. I started my Lasagna beds last year with newspapers, and this year's flower beds with them. |
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