[Yana]

I am trying to conserve water this year and wondered if it is OK to use shredded paper as a mulch?
I get the shredded paper from where I work and use it as a bedding for my rabbits (they love to tunnel into it and throw it around as well). Will it be OK for putting on potatoes for example to conserve moisture?

Advice greatly received. 

[mumofstig]

It's all good stuff, but It does tend to blow around though

Put it in your compost bin if it won't stay put.

[bigben]

I have heard people put it in their spud or bean trenches to help retain moisture. I would not put it on the surface as I imagine it would dry out and just blow around. As Mum suggests - you could compost it and mulch with compost.

[Yana]

In the trench it is then

[BabbyAnn]

In the trench it is then

Just remember to give it a thorough wetting when you put it in the trench otherwise it tends to draw the moisture from the soil which may already be low in water and defeats the object.

[Ivor Backache]

There are different types of paper.
Newspaper would not be of much use unless you used it thickly and fixed it down. All my newspaper goes in potato and bean trenches. I would put shredded office paper in this category.
I do use glossy magazines and brochures (eg for kitchens etc) which are thicker and have china clay . I use that shredded under the strawberries.
We are all going to have the think up ideas for conservation. Put it in the valley between the potato rows and use soil to hold it down.
I've got a feeling there will not be may winners of the tidiest allotment of the year competition.

[Yana]

Good plan thanks