Preparing for weed barrier application

As I've mentioned previously, I put down a combination of newspaper and mulch as a weed barrier at the plot.  This is done after I dig up the rows and remove weed roots from the paths.  Earlier last night, I took stock of my stockpiled newspaper.  With thanks to family and a friend at work, I have quite a bit to work with.

While the application process isn't exactly rocket science, a little bit of thought is needed.  According to our site manager, someone out at the plot site works for the local county landfill; through testing, they found that newspaper ads (the glossy-printed ones) leech some relatively nasty chemicals as they break down.  As such, I remove all those ads from my papers.

You need a decent thickness of paper to act as the first line of defense.  I don't know that there is such a thing as "too much."  It was recommended to me that I should use a thickness of at least 1/2".  Early on I tried using less, but found that paper closest to the ground breaks down reasonably quickly and that certain weeds (namely a nasty thistle we have out there) send runners that can gradually bore through thinner (~1/3") newspaper barriers. 

By preparing your paper in advance, you can efficiently lay the paper barrier with minimal hassle while in the garden.  If your newspaper is unfolded once (meaning you're looking at the entire front page), it takes quite a bit of newspaper to achieve a 1/2" thickness.  I pre-stage my newspaper by achieving my 1/2" thickness, then tape the corners such that each packet of paper won't shift around.

It can't be overstated how helpful pre-staging your newspaper is vs. even mildly windy days.  It's a pain to sort through the ads, store the newspaper backs, stack the paper, and lay it down when your paths are as tight as mine are even when there is no wind.  Pre-staging allows for greater efficiency in the garden and space-saving when you're about to do the deed.