Sorry, enoughcliches, didn't notice the tropical on your header. Note to self: Pay attention:~) How quickly they will be "broken down", digested, depends on how healthy your soil is, the moisture level, and what the soil bacteria have to mulch on. How long the paper lasts can be a indication of how active a Soil Food Web you have, how healthy your soil is, and how moist that paper is because that also determines what the soil bacteria can do with that high Carbon material. Probably true, however, lets assume all bacteria are probably equal in this area of this garden. In my experience 10 layers of paper last longer than one thickness of cardboard placed in the same area of the same garden. Cardboard is much faster to lay out (except for removing the tape and staples). Laying, overlapping, opening newspapers is tedious and they may blow if you don't wet them as you go. There really isn't a lot of pro or con to talk about.

Shekanahh, I use a similar set-up as the one Larry described. I have found the in my case the pvc pipe to be more effective and cost efficient. I use 1/2" pvc and I buy it in 10 ft lengths. I use the cheapest pipe I can find, because the walls don't have to be really thick or anything super strong. I also invested in an inexpensive pipe cutter, just to save time over a hacksaw. As for hooking it to the water hose, they make a threaded adapter just for that purpose. I have used a few, but for the most part, I use a regular pvc end that fits 1/2" pipe on one end and has 3/4" threads on the other with a quick connect system for the hose. Here are the pieces I use.... As for the rows, I think it depends on your water pressure. I can hook 2-3 rows together, depending on slope and distance from the spigot. I use tees and elbows as needed to connect the rows together. I cap the ends using normal pvc caps. The only parts I have glued together are the ends where I connect the hose, because there is quite a bit of twisting and pulling at that point, but I don't know that it is necessary. I leave the joints unglued so I can store everything for the winter and I leave the caps unglued so I can flush the pipes, if needed. Here are some pics of the garden from '07 where you can kind of see the layout. At the end of the tomato row, there is the piece made specifically for water hoses, sorry I don't have a better pic. I started with a 4 way manifold, then shorter hoses to all the rows, but I didn't have enough pressure for that. Last year, I changed the layout a little because the garden got bigger. So, it has taken some trial and error to get everything adjusted to work the way I wanted it to, but I think it has been worth it. I think last years set-up worked best, so if I ever get things sorted out this year, I think I will keep it the same way. Oh, and here is a pic of the cutter..... Michelle

Neither one makes great bedding, but both work. I generate a lot of office paper, which I use for bedding, but I mix it with shredded cardboard. I wouldn't use shredded office paper alone, but I wouldn't use newspaper either. I have had a few of times when the bedding at the bottom of a bin has become a thick, mushy mass. It seems to be loaded with worms. In fact, I started one bin with only the worms that were in that thick, mushy mat of paper. Rather than try to harvest the worms out of it, I used it to seed a new bin. It worked quite well. When the bin is a couple of months old, I turn all the bedding to get that thickly matted bedding off of the bottom of the bin. I only do this one time between starting a new bin and harvesting. So to answer your questions: 1) Office paper will work for bedding. 2) Wet office paper will be heavy and become matted at the bottom of the bin. 3) The bedding will still breathe, but less so at the bottom of the bin. Somehow worms will still like living in it, but it will not break down very quickly at all. 4) Give the bedding one good turning one time about halfway between starting the bin and harvesting. That will break up the clumpy bedding and allow it to break down. 5) If you are going to use newspaper or office paper for bedding, mix it with another type of bedding if you can.

Either cut or chop/shred. A few years ago when I could buy shredded, baled, newspaper for $32/ ton I used it liberally to mulch strawberries and a few other crops. I always waited for a pending rain or snow event to apply. Once it was well wetted it would form a crust and stay in place.