Mulch shredded newspaper

[virginia_scout]

Mulch shredded newspaper

I was thinking of using shredded newspaper to mulch the strawberry bed.

Anybody try this? Good idea, bad idea

Bill in VA

[Billy]

No problem, except it looks like hell. I'd use a top coat of leaves or alfalfa, or some such. Most newsprint is done with soy ink these days, including the color sections. You may want to avoid the slick glossy week-end inserts though. They may not have been printed by the paper. To be sure, call the paper and verify.

[David E. Ross]

For strawberries, you will have to add a little extra nitrogen fertilizer. As the newspaper decomposes, it will take up nitrogen from the soil.

I live not far from the Oxnard plain, one of the most important areas in the U.S. for growing strawberries commercially. The growers generally use plastic sheets to mulch their beds. The soil is cultivated to create long, narrow, flat-topped raised beds. The sheets are put down on the raised area leaving the lower area uncovered for irrigation. The strawberries are planted through slits or small holes in the sheets. The plastic sheets reduce the amount of water required for irrigation. They also keep the berries clean since they never come into contact with the soil.

I use the output from my office shredder to mulch my camellia bed. Camellias prefer a lean (low-nutrient) soil, so the impact on soil nitrogen from decomposing paper is unimportant. The matted paper blocks many weed seedlings from sending their shoots into the air. It keeps the soil cool and moist. My camellias and the azaleas planted in front of them (also preferring a lean soil) seem to thrive with this mulch.

[FarmI]

It's years since I've used it but IIRC, it turns almost papier mache like when watered unless you mix it with something like shredded leaves/straw.

[Billy]

The Carbon/Nitrogen ratio is a good point. Newspapers typically have a C/N ratio of 175 (175/1). to counter balance this you should use 8.3 lbs of chicken fertilizer (C/N: 7 - 6) per pound of newsprint. Aiming for an end C/N ratio of 25. C/N ratio = C/N(175 + X7)/(X+1) where X = number of lbs of chicken manure.

C/N ratio = C/N(175 + 7X)/(X+1) = C/N 25

C/N 25 = C/N(175 + 7x)/(X+1)

25X + 25 = (175 + 7x) 18X = 150 x = 8.333 lbs of chicken manure to newsprint

[David Hare-Scott]

That was my experience too, it goes into grey glug if applied alone.

David

[Dan L.]

Some of of the larger news paper companies no longer use ink. They use high speed lasers and burn the letters to the paper. When reading those papers one gets an ash like substance on your hands instead of ink. many papers will use ink just on the first page and lasers on the inside.

[Billy]

This was done late.

The Carbon/Nitrogen ratio is a good point. Newspapers typically have a C/N ratio of 175 (175/1). to counter balance this you should use 8.3 lbs of chicken fertilizer (C/N: 7 - 6) per pound of newsprint. Aiming for an end C/N ratio of 25. C/N ratio = C/N(175 + X7)/(X+1) where X = number of lbs of chicken manure.

C/N ratio = C/N(175 + 7X)/(X+1) = C/N 25

C/N 25 = C/N(175 + 7x)/(X+1)

25X + 25 = (175 + 7x) 18X = 150

x = 8.333 lbs (3.8 kg) of chicken manure per pound (.454 kg) of newsprint

[Billy]

The other possibility is to put the paper down in sheets. Maybe tear it so that it would fit around a strawberry like a bib, or tear the paper in strips to place between plants.

[Billy]

[Dan L.]

Please pardon my french :) No poly vu francais :)

[Dan L.]

I love mathematics, especially tensor. However, I am not weighing anything in regards to my compost piles. In my world, If it stinks - add straw and turn the pile. If its not heating up - add fresh grass and turn the pile. My chicken poop is mixed with the straw, Im not separating or measuring the poop. Especially to a tenth of a decimal point.

When it comes to composting - you have way way toooo much math :) However, I can understand it's late or you have a great sense of humor :)

[Billy]

Felix Navidad (my cat has a boat;O)