Make sure you dry the grass slightly before applying it to the garden and use only clippings from lawns that have NOT been treated with herbicides. Leaves Tend to mat down and breakdown slowly. If you must use leaves, shred them first. Paper Includes everything from newspapers, to rolls of paper designed for garden use. Unlike other natural mulches, a thin layer will effectively control weeds.
Old newspapers are the least desirable.
They are unsightly and tend to blow away. It's best to save newspapers for recycling. Rolls of paper mulch are similar to synthetic mulch. The advantage is that paper is biodegradable and can simply be turned into the soil at year's end. Disadvantages include limited availability and high cost.