Which Types Of Mulch Are Best For Your Landscaping?
Any gardener, novice or seasoned, should be familiar with different types of mulch and which types are best used with certain plants. Mulching is incredibly important to maintain the health of many plants by helping the ground to retain moisture, keep shallow roots shaded from the hot summer sun, decrease weed growth and of course, add decoration. There are basically two different types of mulch, inorganic and organic.
Organic Mulch
Organic mulch is made from natural substances like grass clippings, leaves, pine needles and bark. They decompose after time and need to be replaced but they are generally free or very inexpensive.
- Grass Clippings – The best thing you can do for your lawn is leave the grass clippings where they fall. They decompose very quickly and add nutrients to the soil and prevent weed control.
- Straw – Avoid using hay for mulch because it contains a lot of weed seeds but straw, on the other hand, will keep the weeds down. It is not ornamental but it serves its purpose in new lawns or in the vegetable garden.
- Leaves – When looking for types of mulch, those leaves you generally rake up can provide great weed control. Generally you will need to shred the leaves with a lawn mower or a shredder since full leaves will blow away but shredded ones stay in place. They do wonderful things for soil once they decompose.
- Pine Bark – This makes a very attractive, dark-colored mulch and can come in various sizes such as shredded or large nuggets. It is important to know that large nuggets float in water and may also attract insects such as termites.
- Pine Needles – Let those needles stay where they lay. They make a phenomenal mulch for acid-loving shrubs and trees and allow for water to penetrate the soil very easily.
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Pecan Shells – These often are hard to find unless you live in an area that processes pecans. They are attractive, long-lasting and are very effective at moisture retention.
Inorganic Mulch
The other types of mulch available are inorganic. The benefit of them is that they do not decompose nor do they attract pests, however, you will have to pay for them.
- Pebbles, Gravel And Crushed Stone – These types of mulch are fabulous for permanent plantings and foundation areas. They provide great weed control but you must be careful to not use them with acid-loving plants because the rocks could add alkaline elements into the soil. They are also not recommended for use in direct sunlight as they can create an extremely hot landscape environment for plant roots.
- Black Plastic – A film of black polyethylene can prevent weed growth and retain water. It is not ideal for poorly drained soil because it could keep your plants too wet. It is helpful to cover it with wood chips as direct sunlight can break it down fairly quickly.
- Landscape Cloth – Materials that have been woven from fabric, paper or plastic are effective types of mulch. They resist decomposition and control weeds. They do need to be fastened down to avoid movement and are more effective with another mulch form laid on top.
- Ground Rubber Tires – This is one of the newer types of mulch experimented with so its effectiveness is still being evaluated. It is created from recycled rubber which is a plus and never needs to be replaced since it takes around 1000 years to decompose. You just have to ask yourself how committed you are to this mulch because it can be a pain to dispose of.