Mulching

Mulching your flowerbeds or gardens is an excellent way to combat some of Florida's gardening challenges. Thick mulching blocks out the sun, deterring weed growth. It also helps keep moisture down in the soil, which is important on hot summer days.

I've been experimenting with mulching lately, with the added twist of combining it with recycling and reuse. Half of my (backyard) vegetable garden is now covered with newsprint (actually crossword puzzles, which adds a bit of whimsy to the aesthetic); the other half supports a thick blanket of cardboard. It's now a competition to see which does better at keeping weeds, pests, and diseases at bay.

Newsprint -
Pros: Easy to shape and handle.
Cons: Flies away when faced with the quick coastal winds, even when I wet the paper and anchor it with stones.

Cardboard -
Pros: Thicker, which will probably be more successful at keeping weeds down. Also, because it is so thick, you will likely need only one layer. Most importantly, it is difficult to recycle cardboard in many suburban municipalities (including this one), so using it as mulch provides a much needed, easy outlet for its reuse.
Cons: Difficult to cut and shape.