Mulch Out Those Weeds in Your Vegetable Garden!

by Doreen Allen
(Edgewood, WA)

Are you tired of dealing with those pesky weeds in your vegetable garden? Well one method I have found to be most helpful is to utilize paper grocery sacks or newspaper.

I first weed out the garden of all existing weeds, to start with a clean slate. Then I take paper sacks or newspaper and lay it right on top of the soil in between the veggies and rows. If I am short on time, and the weeds are small enough, I just lay the paper material right on top of them. If I am using newspaper, I will double layer it. Leave enough room around the vegetables so that they can get some water.

I then wet everything thing down to help weight it down and make it stick to the dirt better. As this isn’t the most attractive look in the garden, I will then usually cover the paper with a thin layer of straw or compost.

At the end of the growing season, you can dig or rototill the material right into the dirt, as it will decompose. I never use the glossy color newspaper, as I don’t want all that ink in the garden.

If this is done early enough in the season, you will find that you only have to do some minor weeding maintenance.