curmudge - citations I've seen say that over 95% of the newspapers printed in the US currently use soy inks - in addition, newspapers use colors primarily in adverts and some pictures, so I'd guess 3/4 of their ink needs are black - in addition soy inks require less material to obtain the same density of print, and save money in many ways so the slightly higher cost is offset, not to mention the fact that the US govt has mandated that printing for the govt should be w/ soy inks Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Institute: "Newsprint inks can contain a high vegetable oil content due to the absorbency of newspaper. Because the ink dries solely by absorption, it is possible to substitute all of the petroleum oil with vegetable oil, and 100% soy formulations are available. For color newsprinting, soy inks provide brighter colors, better color control, and less rub-off. Soy inks are less likely to build up on the plate, have less tendency to skin over, and greater stability. They permit greater latitude in inkwater balance, allowing more flexibility in press settings, and provide greater coverage per pound of ink. Although black soy-based ink can cost up to 30% more than conventional ink, the higher cost may be offset by greater coverage and reduced newsprint spoilage due to its smoother flow." I'd bet that before long, only soy inks will be used for all litho printing as constant improvements and cost benefits are ongoing, and as large a portion of the "production" population is environmentally concerned as we are as to the GMO thing: - if all the printing ink used in the US were soy based, it would use something less than 2% of the soybean production - the processing that the beans get to render their oil to ink so 'denatures' it that it's nearly indistinguishable from any other vegetable oil material - the quantity of soy material on a sheet covered w/ printing is miniscule, especially in comparison to the volume of VOC's emitted into the world's atmosphere in the production and use of petro based inks Carmen - newspaper mulching is organic period, haven't heard of any "levels" of organic practice - gardening involves petro-chemical additions to your soil and food or it doesn't Bill

2-3" of natural mulch such as wood chips, leaves or pine needles can benefit the tree. Primarily by helping keep the roots moist and keeping lawn mowers away from the tree. Mulch comes in all kinds of shapes, sizes and colors. But it's important to mulch properly. Don't pile mulch against the trunk. In fact, keep it at least 6" away from the trunk. Your tree expert was right about fooling around with the soil. Many folks try to set up a garden beneath a mature tree and pile up soil, dig in the root zone and it can cause the tree to decline, particularly a tree that may be already stressed. So.... mulch yes... disturbing the roots or fooling around with the soil, no siree.

Hi Flora. Thanks for that. It's a dangerous thing to ask for photos of my garden because I LOVE to share my garden :-) The pathways I want mulch mostly run behind the garden beds at the bottom of my slope. I have about 2' between those beds and the fence. I don't feel that I'm fighting against my garden so much as im fighting the poorly planned layout of our estate and the refuse left in the soil by the builders (I've pulled copper wire and other rubbish from my garden). Also, my neighbours gardens on both sides drained into my garden. I understand why you think I have small compost piles. The picture I posted previously is after my heap had significantly reduced in size (and id robbed it for mulch) My current pile is 10x4x4. I've raised beds on the borders of my neighbours garden (with Thier consent.) and have stone lined French drains into the field behind my garden at the bottom of my slope (with the estates consent) This is a bed I amended by digging up the stones and builders rubbish and adding my cold compost. I usually have my container roses here but I am going to plant them in the spring... I have two areas of the garden where I grow a few ornamentals mixed with native flora... Many of the native plants have been cut back already for winter ... The other half of the bed pictured above... I have my compost heap on the bottom of the slope because I plan to grow veggies there and I've had great success creating beds on sites of previous compost heaps. I've cold composted previously with smaller piles but have been excited about my first year hot composting. I am straw bale gardening in the spring and the next compost piles will be built in autumn 2013 on the site... There is a cold compost pile underneath all the containers. I should be able to plant them in the bed in the spring I raised this area (again on cold compost) and used stones from my garden. I have creeping thyme planted. I'm hopefully the thyme will fill in between the stones by next autumn... I've just expanded the beds on this side of the fence - again, cold composting topped off with leaves. It may be next autumn befor I sink the container plants ... I don't have any more winter pics but will post photos the garden when it's all colourful in the spring M This post was edited by mirendajean on Mon, Dec 10, 12 at 14:22

I don't think fresh cedar or pine chips would typically have this effect unless a very thick layer of very fresh ones were used. I can offer one anecdote: Knew a guy who planted maters in huge pots. After a couple weeks they looked terrible. He removed the fresh pine chip mulch he had used. Within a few days they perked up. He told me he heard of a phenom called 'sour mulch'. We do know pine can be a bit acidic until it degrades some. Possible this was his problem. Having said that, I have not hesitated to use shredded cedar branches, cedar or pine chips, or prepackaged pine shaving livestock bedding as mulch around plants and have never observed a problem.