Mulching your Garden with Newspaper and Cocoa

Patti Moreno, the Garden Girl, mulches her kitchen garden beds with Newspaper and Cocoa shell mulch. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• cocoa
• garden
• gardening
• kitchen
• living
• moreno
• mulch
• newspaper
• organic
• patti
• shell
• sustainable

[lossunbearable]

I've been told that once wet, cocoa mulch takes on a sewage smell... what is your experience?

[GardenGirltv]

Not at all. After a few weeks it starts to decompose and loses its chocolate smell.

[LucieLettuce]

Just remember not to use cocoashells if animals can access your garden because the theobromine in cocoa shells will kill your dog if swallowed. The dogs are attracted to the smell. It will also poison cats.

I like the newspaper idea.

[GardenGirltv]

I have never had a problem with dogs, cats or livestock eating the cocoa. But keep your eyes on it.

[wgseagal]

i wonder does the ink on newspaper seep into soil and is it affecting the plants does anyone know the answer too that question

[GardenGirltv]

Probably, but my understanding is the black inks are fine, the color is a problem.

[telemarker77]

cedar is a good cheap mulch depending on where you live, coco shells come a long way to the USA/Europe and are quite expensive. use what is cheap and organic near you. maybe it is cheap steer manure, horse manure, redwood chips (north ca), cedar chips (the south), grass. the best mulch is organic and free. Who reads newspapers, all lies. i do shred my brown cardboard for mulch but I compost it.

[juniornutshell]

so much more pleasant than those sinus clogged dweebs in cargo shorts that present these videos.

[tucsonpersonified]

I would mulch her garden and eat her fruit!!

[ccs2828lily]

your awesome girl keep growin !!!! :)

[yashamill]

Patti... better avoid using newspaper, the chemicals from the paint and the chemicals used in the paper manufacturing itself are "bad news". To create a layer that will prevent the weeds from growing "might be" useful, but one can use natural material instead. The mulch from dry grass or other plants is great, but the newspaper... I would never do it.

Just a thought. Keep up the good work.

[hunkydaboyz]

are you single ??? and what are you doing saturday night ??

[tuckersturkeyfarm]

I have read that dogs and cats are eating cocoa mulch and getting sick or even dying from it. if you have pets, don't use it

[InitiateZ]

cocoa mulch is poisonous to pets.........check it out.....some garden centers won't sell it anymore

[binashraf]

can you still water them properly with that newspaper on the soil?

[jhawkridge]

@gunsmithgirl - we were on the same wavelength!

[jhawkridge]

Cocoa is toxic to dogs, better to use some of the other materials suggested here. Straw keeps moisture in and weeds down, and is renewable and local almost everywhere. Also the light color reflects sunlight up to the plants to give a little extra exposure. It also breaks down and adds organic matter to your soil and can be tilled into the soil before the next planting season.