Using Newspaper as Mulch in the Garden

I planted my hostas and now need to smother grass around them with newspaper mulch (the lazy way!).  Will the hostas be able to spread and come up through the paper?

Your hostas will do fine with this technique. The beauty of using newspaper is it breaks down adding organic matter to the soil.  Covering the paper with a layer of another organic mulch will improve the appearance and provide a thicker layer of mulch to help suppress the grass.  I like to cut the grass very short before applying the newspaper and leaf, evergreen needle, or grass clipping mulch.  It may be a bit more work up front but will save time in the long run. 

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