Joe, i use several layers of news paper.. watering it down with a bit of soap in the sprayer gizmo as a surfactant and leaving it soak for a while, then add some more and wet it down till have 7 or 8 layers then put the peet moss and composted cotton hulls (pm 60% to ch 40%) on top of that and let it set till spring, keeping it moist. by then the paper will probably have decayed and then holes can be dug to plant the plants or seeds. that's how i did my north garden in a new environment last fall and it is doing quite well. i keep ammending it, however, and mulch it well. i use shredded leaves to mulch with as well as shredded spruce. i am physically unable to dig a lot so this works for me and the garden. the paper seems to do even better than the plastic for me as it adds organic to the soil. lee h
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