Question
Looking to expand existing flower beds and read somewhere that you can place 5 layers of newspaper on the grass and then cover it with four inches of mulch. This combination will kill the grass and yet maintain water to trees located nearby? Any thoughts or reccomendations? And a time table for this to occur before planting new shrubs into this area?? Thanks so much!

Answer
Yes. You can use newspapers and mulch to kill grass, but I would make sure I had at least an half-inch of newspapers, and four - six inches of mulch over that. In a month or so you should be able to dig a hole anywhere you want and just plant new shrubs.  Be sure and cover the exposed dirt around the new shrubs with more newspaper and 4 inches of mulch to prevent any grass from coming through it. Be sure to leave about an inch around the base of the trunks or stems, so they won't get too wet or encourage insects to nibble at their stalks.  Any weeds that make it up through the newspapers and mulch, will remove easily.