Pros and Cons Using Shredded Junk Mail As Mulch

John3 · March 22, 2012

Pros and Cons Using Shredded Junk Mail As Mulch

I have an 8ft wide by about 200ft long strip to mulch and might not grow there this year and if it's ok was thinking of soaking it in distilled white vinegar 5% then lay that down then on top put cardboard and soak (or add more vinegar) and on top of that pine straw or hay or pine bark.

cornbreadlouie · March 22, 2012

A pro would be that worms don't know how to steal your identity.

John3 · March 22, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by cornbreadlouie

A pro would be that worms don't know how to steal your identity.

I didn't think about the worms. I guess i could dig a 12in deep row put some there and cover it over with the dirt to feed the worms

Quote:

A con would be that you throw out the winning lottery ticket.

Worth1 · March 22, 2012

A con would be that you throw out the winning lottery ticket.

Tracydr · March 22, 2012

Why the vinegar?

John3 · March 23, 2012

The vinegar to soak in and help kill some of the roots faster.
Could also use hydrogen peroxide first to kill the weed seeds instead of letting lay dormant.
So, hydrogen peroxide to kill the seeds and vinegar to kill the roots.

Boutique Tomatoes · March 23, 2012

No need to dig, the worms will come up for the paper, it's like their version of potato chips.

I don't know that I'd do the vinegar or hydrogen peroxide though. I'd be tempted to get a roll of plastic and let the sun cook them, google soil solarization.

zeroma · February 15, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by marktutt

No need to dig, the worms will come up for the paper, it's like their version of potato chips.

I don't know that I'd do the vinegar or hydrogen peroxide though. I'd be tempted to get a roll of plastic and let the sun cook them, google soil solarization.

I was just reading past posts and I love this one marktutt!

Worms, potato chips

. I use shredded paper in my compost when adding it as a side dressing and I add it to the compost bin to rot as well. Not the shinny sheets but just our home office stuff that we shred.

rws-NH-45 · March 31, 2012

Hello John3,

I was in printing for 35 years, and I personally would avoid coated paper, and especially coated paper with bright colored ink. Black ink on newsprint is good IMO because you're getting paper that is mostly fiber, and ink that is mostly lamp black (carbon).

With the coated papers (the shiny stuff) it has less fiber, and more fillers (clay, etc.) and the bright colors in the inks tend to come from more elaborate chemicals with possible traces of heavy metals like cadmium, chromium, and other stuff that your plants might not like.

If it was me I would stay away from junk mail.

good luck,

Richard

swoop · April 6, 2012

Two places to get some shedded paper for mulch. If you live near a 911 center, they have to shred all the paper they use or if there is Shredding business near you can ask for some of their load late in the day. Probably can get all you need to cover the entire trac.

Keiththibodeaux · April 7, 2012

I have not used this as mulch, but I do use it in my compost with great success.

spacetogrow · February 16, 2013

Did I read somewhere that a lot of printer ink is like plastic? What does that do to the toxic build-up...for humans, plants, or worms?

lakelady · February 16, 2013

I'm sure if you have friends who work for a large office they would have plenty of shredded paper to give you. I used to work for a company years ago that had a massive shredder for all confidentials and we'd have big clear trash bags full of the stuff we threw in the dumpster. Nowadays it might be recycled, but many companies I'm sure do their own shredding.

March 22, 2012	#1
John3 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Alabama 7.5 or 8 depends on who you ask Posts: 727	Pros and Cons Using Shredded Junk Mail As Mulch Pros and Cons Using Shredded Junk Mail As Mulch I have an 8ft wide by about 200ft long strip to mulch and might not grow there this year and if it's ok was thinking of soaking it in distilled white vinegar 5% then lay that down then on top put cardboard and soak (or add more vinegar) and on top of that pine straw or hay or pine bark.

March 22, 2012	#2
cornbreadlouie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: SF bay area... north bay Posts: 242	A pro would be that worms don't know how to steal your identity. __________________ Do You Like Worms?

February 16, 2013	#13
lakelady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: northern NJ zone 6b Posts: 1,862	I'm sure if you have friends who work for a large office they would have plenty of shredded paper to give you. I used to work for a company years ago that had a massive shredder for all confidentials and we'd have big clear trash bags full of the stuff we threw in the dumpster. Nowadays it might be recycled, but many companies I'm sure do their own shredding. __________________ Antoniette

March 22, 2012	#4
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	A con would be that you throw out the winning lottery ticket.

March 22, 2012	#5
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	Why the vinegar?

March 23, 2012	#6
John3 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Alabama 7.5 or 8 depends on who you ask Posts: 727	The vinegar to soak in and help kill some of the roots faster. Could also use hydrogen peroxide first to kill the weed seeds instead of letting lay dormant. So, hydrogen peroxide to kill the seeds and vinegar to kill the roots.

March 23, 2012	#7
Boutique Tomatoes Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Northeast Wisconsin, Zone 5a Posts: 1,109	No need to dig, the worms will come up for the paper, it's like their version of potato chips. I don't know that I'd do the vinegar or hydrogen peroxide though. I'd be tempted to get a roll of plastic and let the sun cook them, google soil solarization.

March 31, 2012	#9
rws-NH-45 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Sanbornton, NH Posts: 27	Hello John3, I was in printing for 35 years, and I personally would avoid coated paper, and especially coated paper with bright colored ink. Black ink on newsprint is good IMO because you're getting paper that is mostly fiber, and ink that is mostly lamp black (carbon). With the coated papers (the shiny stuff) it has less fiber, and more fillers (clay, etc.) and the bright colors in the inks tend to come from more elaborate chemicals with possible traces of heavy metals like cadmium, chromium, and other stuff that your plants might not like. If it was me I would stay away from junk mail. good luck, Richard

April 6, 2012	#10
swoop Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 1	Two places to get some shedded paper for mulch. If you live near a 911 center, they have to shred all the paper they use or if there is Shredding business near you can ask for some of their load late in the day. Probably can get all you need to cover the entire trac.

April 7, 2012	#11
Keiththibodeaux Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Louisiana Posts: 587	I have not used this as mulch, but I do use it in my compost with great success.

February 16, 2013	#12
spacetogrow Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: MN zone 4 Posts: 359	Did I read somewhere that a lot of printer ink is like plastic? What does that do to the toxic build-up...for humans, plants, or worms?