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What are the different types of Mulch?

Answer:
Whether dealing with an established garden or creating

the design of a new one, it is critical to apply mulch to help hold in moisture and keep weeds at bay. To make that choice a little easier, here are a few of the most commonly available varieties.

If you are looking for natural choices for mulch, shredded pine and cypress mulch can be a beautiful addition to any garden bed. Both mulches last a year or better and are relatively inexpensive to use, however, cypress depletes natural cypress stands in Florida, making it less ecologically friendly. Since pine mulch acidifies the soil, it is not a good choice around plants that need a more alkaline soil.

Shredded mulches are now available in a variety of warm colors, like red and terra cotta. They can be very attractive at a distance, but beware. The color bleeds, making it a danger to shoes and clothing.

Another very economical choice for mulch is to create compost from yard waste, like grass clippings, pine needles, and leaves. It is high in nutrients and can act as a natural fertilizer for growing plants. A disadvantage of homemade compost is the potential for weed seed propagation if the compost does not reach a high enough temperature during the curing process. Also, compost takes time to breakdown from the raw materials, making it inconvenient when a mulch is needed immediately.

There is a newer mulch material called melaleuca which is growing in popularity because it is long lasting and very light in color, much like cypress. It is also distasteful to termites, making it great for use close to the house. Unfortunately, it is a hard mulch to find, so don’t expect to find it at your local big box store.

A few manmade materials are available for use as mulch, like landscape fabric, which is porous and helps to prevent weeds, and recycled rubber tires, which is durable and comes in a variety of colors. Although each has their benefits, landscape fabric is very light weight, necessitating the use of mulch and/or pins to keep it in place. Rubber tire mulch smells like tires, so may not be advisable around the house.

Pebbles and small stones can be used as an attractive mulch, but since they have a tendency to sink and settle into the ground, the home owner may need to add additional layers of new stone for a few seasons.


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