Here is a great gardening tip received from Dick J. in Rockford, Michigan. I am definitely going to try this and see how well it works.
I have been using the NEWSPAPER method of building planting beds over turf and field growth for years and it has worked beautifully. First, mow or cut closely the existing grass or vegetation you want to eliminate. Place four (4) layers of newsprint on the ground. Overlap the sheets of newsprint at least 4″ all around to keep new growth from poking through.
Place 2″ – 4″ of mulch (wood chips or bark mulch) over the paper and water thoroughly. If it is windy, two people works best, and keep a hose handy to wet the paper as you go. Be careful to not tear the paper, if you do get holes or tears, cover with more paper before mulching. Do a small manageable area and then spread the mulch and continue covering an area as large as you want. I only use the actual newsprint paper. I do not use glossy paper or those pages covered with colored inks.
If you plan to do this technique in established planting beds, do not place the newspaper too close to the existing plants. The newspaper creates a seal which effectively smothers the grass and weeds and does not allow water through for several weeks.
It will take 4 – 6 weeks to effectively kill all the vegetation under the newspapers. I usually prepare beds in the spring, and then do my planting in the fall, at which time there is just good, moist soil under the mulch. Over the years I have used this to create over 1,500 square feet of gardens from lawn area.
