[vegypete]

hi ya :)i have erd if you put news papers down on newley dug ground then cover with manure or compost the paper rots in to the ground over time and all so keeps the weeds at bay, is this right, as i have stacks of news papers in my garage .............pete

[Yorkie]

That's right.  Make sure the ground is moist before you put the paper down, and I'd suggest wetting the paper before putting the manure / compost down too.  It won't stop the weeds in the manure growing though.

[vegypete]

hi ya  excuse my ignorance, but what weeds would there be in well rotted  cow manure, corn barley oats ect .........pete

[Trillium]

Whatever the animals ate and didn't get burned by the external composting process - could be dandelions (which cows love), field legumes, dock, etc.

[savbo]

goosegrass and dock definitely get through cows... as I learned after using the contents of a midden on my first veg bed...

[thestens]

If you are laying a slap or crazy paving path between beds put some damp newspaper below the slabs helps keeps the weeds down.

[thestens]

Also on the subject of newspaper if its shredded is it any good in a compost heap?

[Yorkie]

Yes newspaper is fine in compost heaps, shredded and layered as you say.