shredded newspaper?

garlix 10/23/2010, 11:19 am

Should I really put shredded news paper in my compost bin? What about those catalogs and brochures on that shiny paper?

Old Hippie 10/23/2010, 11:37 am

Shredded newspaper is GREAT!!!! I do the shiny stuff too. It just takes a bit longer to break down. I even do milk cartons.....and they disappear too. Paraffin is a plant based material. Not the plastic from envelopes though.

GK

quiltbea 10/23/2010, 1:32 pm

I use newspaper as a brown product.
I tear it up into about inch or so strips and toss it in the pile.
A good way to recycle.

**camprn** 10/23/2010, 2:09 pm

I do news paper, shredded office paper, but I don't add the glossy ad inserts. My understanding ( and it could be faulty) is that the inks on the glossy adds contains (heavy) metals. Until I know more, I don't put those in the garden or the compost.

**sfg4uKim** 10/23/2010, 4:14 pm

I too only use newspaper and office paper but not the glossy ads.

Kim

janefss2002 10/23/2010, 5:16 pm

And shredded phone books (after checking inside to make sure they use soy based ink). So many of these turn up on the doorstep. Don't use any glossy pages or covers, though.

Jane

garlix 10/24/2010, 4:12 am

Thanks, I guess I can start shredding some news paper now.

**walshevak** 12/20/2010, 8:39 am

Back in my days of row gardening, I was short of money for mulch one year and saved my newpapers. I just unfolded the papers into the rows and ripped thinner sections for between the plants. Then I covered with dirt clods to keep from blowing away. Added all summer long to keep a thick layer, wetting down when needed. Worked like a charm that summer and then I piled the fall leaves about 3" thick over the whole garden and let the snow fall. In spring I rotilled and had the best garden in a long time the following summer. So I'm all for leaves and newspapers in my compost.

Lavender Debs 12/20/2010, 9:44 am

quiltbea wrote:I use newspaper as a brown product.
I tear it up into about inch or so strips and toss it in the pile.
A good way to recycle.

Oh hey! I never got to the park to collect leaves this year (none fall in my yard). If I thought about more than how to keep young minds focused on school work maybe I would have thought of that. My pile is too low on brown this year.

Deborah....happy someone thinks to post these things

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