> > OK, I read the article but do you START by just putting the newspaer down on > flat, un-tilled earth and then pile up all the "stuff" or do you have to > till down a few inches first and just never have to do that again in the > future?
Hi Bia, >From what I've researched, initially, you kill the sod and weeds with the >newspaper or cardboard as a first layer, then add the layers ideally reaching >10"-12". Let it sit for a year to break down into rich humus as your starter >bed. Then plant your garden the following Spring. (Some folks DO use the >beds immediately though, adding a layer of topsoil on top before planting.) Then, in the Fall, you put your garden to bed by doing the layering all over again, letting it break down over the winter. We plan on encircling the beds in the fall with 2' fencing so as to contain the layers better. We have two beds, 4' wide by 32' long. I'll let you know how the soil is next Spring. : ) Incidentally, we're using cardboard instead of newspapers because I really don't like the idea of newsprint ink leeching into the soil. Isn't that supposed to be toxic? I was so surprised to see newspapers advocated in this very organic method. Oh well. : ) -- Renee M. in Michigan
