Plain newspaper can form the light-blocking layer in sheet mulch. It works best beneath another organic material, where it stays damp and breaks down.
- Pull tall or seeding weeds and water dry soil.
- Use plain newsprint, removing plastic bags, tape, staples, glossy inserts, and coated advertising paper.
- Lay down a few sheets at a time, overlapping every edge so weeds do not find bright gaps.
- Wet the paper as you work so the wind cannot redecorate the neighbourhood.
- Cover it completely with leaves, clean straw, compost, or wood chips chosen for that part of the garden.
- Keep the whole layer away from plant stems and tree trunks.
There is no magic requirement for exactly 12 pages. A very thick paper mat can slow water and air, while a thin dry sheet can blow away or tear. Check it during the season and add ordinary mulch where light reaches the soil.
Newspaper can give earwigs and other small animals a damp hiding place, but that does not automatically make them plant pests. Identify damage before blaming whichever creature you find underneath.