I've laid layers of newspaper down over the soil and applied a wood product (chips or bark) on top. I'd never leave the paper...shredded or otherwise...on top. But that's just me.

I tried using shredded paper alone as mulch. It kept the weeds at bay but after a while, it got slippery and dangerous to walk on. So I ended up covering it with a small layer of other mulch. That was my experience.
T-

I put all my junk mail, envelops and all, and other paper trash on top of the soil between the plants, kind of cover teh soil as much as i can. Water soaks it and kind of meshes the stuff to the ground so it stops flying away with the wind. Works fine.

This year I used sections of newspaper around the tomatoes and peppers, covered it with a layer of straw. This worked really well, kept the moisture in and the straw from sprouting. Also kept down weeds, which I find that loose mulch just doesn't do it.

Gonna do this again next year with other crops.

I do this every year! Lay the news paper flat and cover with wheat straw. I lay it thick, especially around tomatoes. It really holds in the moisture and cuts down on watering. At the end of the growing season much of the paper and straw has begun to rot. After I pull the garden I till all the hay and paper under, plant clover and wait till next year when I start the process over again. Works great and helps build the soil. The earthworms love it!

Yep a fairly common practice. Lots of discussions about it over on the Compost & Mulch forum here.

Dave

no. this is fine although many people cover the newspaper with another type of mulch like wood chips. the newspaper is safe and will decompose in time. i used some unfinished compost as mulch with newspaper still not broken down it is doing fine although it does take a while for it to break down

What about using the shredded paper around the strawberries over the winter? Has anyone tried that? I was just wondering if that would work.