Plain shredded paper is a safe and budget-friendly material when used correctly. Apply in thin layers and top with natural mulch to prevent matting. Shredded paper can also be used in your compost bin ...

Q: I work in an office that produces a lot of shredded paper. Is it safe to use it as a mulch or in a compost pile? A: First, a word of caution: Be sure that your employer permits removal of the ...

Q. Can you tell me if the paper from my paper shredder can be used as mulch? Seems to me it is actually the same basic material as the ground-up tree trimmings I see being used. -- M.B., Houston A.

Dear Heloise: My recycling center will not accept shredded paper. I accumulate a large amount since I shred all mail that contains any personal or business information. I also am a gardener. Before I ...

You've spent a weekend shredding old bills and school papers, and now you don't know what to do with the resulting bags and bags of shredded paper in your house. Here's the good news: You can reuse at ...

Dear Heloise: My recycling center will not accept shredded paper. I accumulate a large amount since I shred all mail that contains any personal or business information. I also am a gardener. Before I ...

A reader wonders whether there's use in the garden for his shredded paper. Another is puzzled by the poor performance of all his root crops. CS: It sounds like your shredded paper is office paper ...

Q. Years ago I read one could lay newspapers between plant rows to help keep weeds down. In time, the paper disintegrates, leaving no ill effects. We have a paper shredder and generate a bit of ...

To mulch, or not to mulch — that seems to be the question. You will find advocates on both sides of the debate. Gardening is not an exact science, and you can find theories to support various ...