Newspaper recycling and your garden

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Newspaper recycling and your garden

 While I don’t always enjoy the news, I’ve always enjoyed getting the big Sunday paper. My Sunday paper didn’t show up… so this is a previous photo!

I’d really hate to see print go away completely although I understand the push to online formats, spreading the paper out and reading while enjoying a cup of coffee isn’t something I want to give up. I’m not good and scrolling and drinking my coffee!! HA, old school.

What to do with newsprint:

• One is the compost bin.  In the summertime, if your compost bin is starting to smell like ammonia, shred some newspaper and toss it in.  While greens add nitrogen, the paper adds carbon.  A good mix for your compost bin. 

• When starting a garden bed, I’ve used 3 layer sheets of newspaper as a weed barrier.  It works like landscape fabric but degrades over time and you don’t have to fight through fabric to change a planting. 
• If you use a coldframe, line it with newspaper for more insulation. 

• Use newspaper to wrap green tomatoes for winter ripening.  They aren’t nearly as flavorful as those ripened on the vine, but when you have an abundance of green tomatoes at a time when frost is coming, it’s a way to at least get some fresh tomatoes for cooking.  The paper helps keep them from rotting.
• Use newspaper for seed starting. There are wooden forms you can buy that twist the paper into a little pot.  I just ordered one of these online. 

• If you want to slow down the loss of moisture in your flower pots, cut a few layers of newspaper to fit the bottom of the container.  This will slow the loss of moisture while still allowing oxygen and irrigation to pass through.