The Selection of Proper Landscape Mulch Types

Spreading a layer of mulch over exposed soil areas of your garden and landscape bed areas can save you a enormous amount of time and energy. Mulch helps your soil retain water, requiring much less irrigation. It also serves as a outstanding way to prevent weeds from growing in your landscape beds.

Shredded Bark Mulch:

While being one of the most popular mulch types used, it is additionally one of the least costly. Cedar trees are the most commonly used source of this bark, but it can also come from other sources. Shredded Bark is a common alternative for sloped banks because it breaks down rather slowly and it holds together very well. Since it is most often a byproduct of the lumber industry, this mulch is considered very environmentally friendly.

Shredded Leaf Mulch:

If you have a number of leaves in your yard during the fall, shred them, and use this material as an over-winter mulch. Fallen leaves often decompose somewhat quickly, (less than one year), and provide a great deal of nutrients to your soil. To minimize the matting tendency of leaf mulch, make sure you shred your leaves prior to spreading.

Grass Clippings:

Another free source for mulch can be your lawn grass clippings. When you lay down the grass mulch, be sure that it is pre-dried. Also to prevent matting, keep your mulch layers rather thin. Another great feature of grass mulch is it supplies required nitrogen nutrients to the soil.

Straw Mulch:

Another common organic option for mulch is the use of straw. Straw breaks down a bit slower than does either leaves or grass, and it has a outstanding-looking golden hue. One caution you ought to be aware of though. Often straw also includes weed seeds, and you could have headaches with more of a weed problem than you are trying to solve.

Compost Mulch:

Compost mulch is one of the better organic mulch options. It is dark and genuinely sets off the planting beds nicely. Also, it adds significantly to the nutrients in the soil.

Pine Straw:

Pine Needle mulch, additionally known as pine straw, is a fantastic organic mulch. Also, it is a mulch that is most appropriately used around acid-loving plants. Because the pine needles hold together very well, and break down comparatively slowly, it is a common option for steep slopes and banks. Blueberries, azaleas, rhododendrons, and other conifers are common planting options in this type of mulch.

Pine Bark Nuggets:

Pine Bark Nuggets tend to float and they are easily washed away during periods of heavy rain. Therefore, do not use them on steeply sloped areas. They are slow to break down and are available in a variety of sizes. Generally the larger the nugget, the longer it will take to break down.

Using Wood Chips as Mulch:

Another outstanding free source of mulching material is wood chips. You can either chip you own or obtain them from local tree trimming companies. They will provide you with an excellent weed barrier and break down somewhat slowly. The new chips will rob your soil of nitrogen, and add acid to your soil as well.

Using Cocoa Hulls for Mulch:

If you are interested one of the richest looking mulch materials, take a look at Cocoa Bean Hulls. It is one of the more expensive options out there though. Not only do you have the deep rich color from the hulls, many gardeners delight in the chocolate fragrance, and the long lasting qualities they obtain from this mulch type.

One caution if you use this mulch. There are many sources that suggest if the hulls are ingested by dogs or cats, they can be poisoned.

Gravel and River Rock:

One of the most popular qualities of using rock materials is that if installed properly, they will never break down, or need replacement. Negatives include: It is hard to dig up and split perennials, and because the rock does not break down, no nutrients are added to your soil.

Shredded Rubber Mulch:

A couple of outstanding things about using recycled rubber as a mulch material is you are diverting this product from the land fill, and preventing the destruction of trees.

Some of the great aspects of using this eco-friendly product are it stays looking great as it doesn't loose its color. Also, it is heavy, stays in place, and it does not break down, so it doesn't need replacement. Additionally, since it does not decay or compact, you can spread it 1.5 inches thick vs. 3" minimum that is required for organic mulch types.