Martha Stewart interviewed Ankit Singh, assistant professor and ornamental horticulture educator at University of Maine Cooperative Extension, in a guide to using paper bags as mulch in gardens. Singh said that he recommends plain brown paper grocery bags and advises gardeners to remove labels, handles, tape and staples before applying them to garden beds. “Avoid bags with laminated surfaces, metallic inks, plastic windows, or other non-paper components,” Singh said.
