9 best mulches
Mulch is a material that is spread or laid over the surface of the soil in gardens or landscapes. It serves various purposes and provides several benefits for plant health and soil management. Here are some key aspects related to mulches:
Conservation of Moisture:
- Mulch helps in retaining soil moisture by reducing evaporation. This is especially beneficial during hot weather or in regions with limited rainfall.
Weed Suppression:
- A layer of mulch helps suppress weed growth by blocking sunlight, which inhibits weed germination and growth. This reduces the competition for nutrients and water between weeds and desired plants.
Temperature Regulation:
- Mulch acts as an insulator, helping to regulate soil temperature. It can keep the soil cooler in hot weather and provide some insulation during colder periods.
Soil Erosion Prevention:
- Mulch protects the soil from erosion caused by wind and water. It helps to stabilize the soil structure, particularly on sloping landscapes.
Nutrient Enhancement:
- Organic mulches, such as bark or compost, gradually break down over time, adding organic matter to the soil.This contributes to improved soil fertility and structure.
Disease Prevention:
- Mulch can prevent soil-borne diseases by acting as a barrier between the soil and plant parts. This is particularly important for preventing certain plant diseases that can splash onto leaves during rainfall.
Aesthetic Enhancement:
- Mulch can enhance the visual appeal of gardens and landscapes by providing a neat and uniform appearance. It comes in various materials, including wood chips, straw, bark, and stones, offering aesthetic choices to suit different preferences.
Application Guidelines:
- When applying mulch, it's generally recommended to spread it evenly around plants, leaving a small gap around the base of each plant to prevent issues like root rot or stem diseases.
Types of Mulch:
- Mulches come in two main types: organic and inorganic. Organic mulches, such as wood chips or straw, decompose over time, while inorganic mulches, like rocks or rubber mulch, do not break down.
Environmental Considerations:
- Choosing mulch materials can have environmental implications. Some people prefer using locally sourced and sustainable materials to reduce the environmental impact of mulching.
Remember that the specific benefits and recommendations for mulching can vary based on the types of plants, climate, and specific gardening practices in use.
Below you can find our editor's choice of the best mulches on the marketProduct description
Get the lawn you’ve always wanted with the help of EZ-Straw Seeding Mulch with Tack. It’s the perfect add on solution for planting grass seed. EZ-Straw Seeding Mulch features processed straw with a bonding agent that gives straw a tackiness which holds it together. Prevents soil erosion and seeds from washing away. Speeds up germination and allows for less watering. Biodegrades, so there is no mess to clean up. Also protects seed from birds. Safe for children and pets. 99% weed free.
About EZ-Straw: EZ-Straw was developed by Rhino, a family owned and operated business since 1930. Offering superior products for Commercial and Residential landscape and law repair needs. EZ-Straw Erosion Blanket, Lawn Patch or Lawn Repair Kits, Seeding Mulch or just EZ-Straw Just Straw, EZ-Straw is your source for Specialty Landscape and Erosion Control Products. The Rhino family is committed to you and your success. You can expect top quality landscape and lawn & garden products. We will always provide you with the best service in the industry. We promise to be innovative and give you the tools and knowledge to get your job done right, with satisfaction guaranteed.
- ORGANIC PROCESSED STRAW W/TACKIFIER – Premium Processed Straw with a bonding agent (Tackifier) that gives straw a tackiness which holds it together. This natural bonding agent is biodegradable and helps to protect grass seed from heavy washout and wind.
- STRAW PROTECTS the SEED - The Straw Protects the grass seed from heavy washout, windy areas, birds and other animals
- EASY TO APPLY – Twice cut and processed for easy application
- BETTER RESULTS – Tack Bonding agent gives straw a tackiness which holds it together. Speeds up germination. Water less often. 99% weed free
- BIODEGRADABLE - Biodegrades, no mess to clean up, just leave in place after the seed grows
- SAFE and CONVENIENT - Safe for pets and children. Conveniently bagged, Easy to handle package. Bag is UV protected plastic and can be stored outside.
User questions & answers
Question: | Does seed go down first or the straw |
Answer: | These run a size small. My son is a 10, in men's shoes/sneakers, but wears an 11 in these. |
Question: | Is this straw weed free |
Answer: | You could probably climb the wall better but you wouldn’t want to do anything else in them. Climbing shoes are great for climbing but little else. I would recommend a climbing approach shoe that has sticky rubber but you can still walk around in. |
Question: | Can I use this in my vegetable garden |
Answer: | Depends on homuch you are going to be wearing them if you are going to the gym or out in the open. And if you are an entry level climber or a more advanced climber |
Question: | Someone mentioned using this in their vegetable garden. Is it safe? I don't know what this bonding agent is and if it is meant for vegetable gardens |
Answer: | If that’s you’re street shoe. I’d say get these about a half size smaller cause they do stretch quite a bit once they are worn in. I wish I would of gone down a size cause I ended up progressing past the point of what these shoes could handle very quickly because they became so loose at my heel I lost confidence on foot holds. |
Product features
Lets Talk Tackifier
- Tackifier is a bonding agent that gives the straw a tackiness and holds it together protecting the grass seed from wind and heavy wash out.
- Tackifier feeds the soil as it decomposes.
- Tackifier is all natural making it safe for children and pets.
Beautiful Results
Seeding Mulch is the perfect add on to planting grass seed. Mulch protects the grass seed and allows for faster germination and less watering. Beautiful faster results.
Product description
A wholly organic mulching material made from the outer shell of the cocoa bean. The material breaks down slowly and will not disappear into the soil. Apply in the spring or summer to help reduce weeds and conserve water. Apply in the fall to insulate in the winter. Adds nutrition to the soil. Cocoa shell mulch has an approximate fertilizer value of 2.5-1-3, it will not burn vegetation. Natural color and pleasing cocoa aroma. Comes in 2-cubic feet bag.
- Cocoa shell mulch has an approximate fertilizer value of 2.5-1-3; it will not burn vegetation
- A wholly organic mulching material made from the outer shell of the cocoa bean
- The material breaks down slowly and will not disappear into the soil
- Apply in the spring or summer to help reduce weeds and conserve water
- Comes in 2-cubic feet bag
User questions & answers
Question: | Is it organic? it says so in the description but not on the bag. seems like b.s |
Answer: | Yes! I was converted to this in my vegetable gardens since it sticks and doesn’t move around, but is super easy to apply, and each bag goes a long way. I’ve even turned other friends onto it within the last year. Every once in awhile I’ll get a single grass seed, but otherwise virtually weedless. Tractor Supply Co here and Lowe’s have a much better price ($15) for this size, so I stock up when it’s any cheaper, because it does sell out locally in Houston. It’s much lighter and easier to stack and store also. I don’t find it water logs or mold when left in the bag like mulch or soil does. I like this all around. |
Question: | Strange question.... can I use the mulch to make tea? I've made tea from cocoa husks before and was wondering if I could use this for tea |
Answer: | These are women's sizes and run small. |
Question: | Is this mulch certified organic? In the description it says "wholly organic," but not clear if they actually mean certified |
Answer: | I'm a man so the only information I can give is what I've heard from others. A friend borrowed my shoes and was able to use them just fine. My feet aren't particularly wide and I had no issues (except for getting a size larger than I should have) I would recommend trying them on in person before you buy them. A good thing to keep in mind is these will stretch up to a size bigger than they are. Mine ended up too loose for extremely small footholds after some use. I bought my normal shoe size. I mainly bouldered in these and climbed a Max of only v2. Hopefully this can help. |
Question: | Does this product keep cats from peeing in your flower bed? Also, how long does it last? It is pretty expensive to if you have to replace it very ofte |
Answer: | I would go a size up from your normal size |
Product description
Pine Bark Mulch, 100% Natural Pine Bark Mulch, House Plant Cover Mulch, Potting Media, and More (4qt)
Chunky pine bark mulch. 100% natural mulch in a resealable zipper bag. Pine bark mulch is used to landscape homes, cover houseplants dirt for a more attractive presentation, shade the roots of grape vines, and much more. Can this be used for orchid bark? Please research your type of orchid and compare the bark to the type of orchid, and plan according to research. It is widely disputed if this type of untreated pine bark can be used for such a task, many growers claim years or success and luck with such a bark, while others claim the untreated nature of this bark, may lead to unfavorable results.- High quality pine shavings for gardening projects, PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO SIZE DESCRIPTION BEFORE ORDERING!
- 4qt Bag of pine park mulch, this bag is a 13 inch x 10 inch bag, with one gallon of bark inside.
- Great plant growing media, and for use in terrariums. Perfect for easy and clean pouring and use inside your home.
- Each batch of pine mulch is fan dried to help curb moisture, and bagged weekly for shipping to customers
- 100% All Natural Pine Bark Mulch. Great for gardening, crafts, house plant ground cover, and more.
User questions & answers
Question: | Is this a dark color bark? I see two different colors shown for this item |
Answer: | That's what I bought it for. I found out about using this to deter cats from using the flower beds under our windows from my sister (a cat lover) a few years ago. She told me that the reason it keeps cats away is that they don't like walking on the shells. I bought some large bags of it, at that time at our local garden center and it wasn't that expensive. I can't say that this or that brand is any better or if this is more expensive. I don't remember. They both worked. I simply could no longer find it locally so I searched online and found this. The cats no longer use these beds, so I guess it works. I haven't witnessed cats around it but just that we no longer have that cat urine/feces smell wafting through the windows. It breaks down after a few months and has to be refreshed. How long it takes seems to depend on how wet it gets. I would say 4-6 months, depending on how fresh you want it. You are also training the cats not to bother going to these places. I use it in beds with full sun in the afternoons, so I don't have any problem with mildew or anything like what other people have complained about. It seems to absorb the old smells, and leaves a faint scent of cocoa as well. |
Question: | Does this have any tiny white bugs or any type of bug |
Answer: | The seed goes first. I spray the soil, then lay the seed. The straw then goes over the seed--not too thick, but full coverage--and protects it and holds in the moisture so seed can sprout. Also lightly spray the straw to hold it down and activate the bonding agent that will keep it from blowing around |
Question: | How many square feet of ground does 2 cubic feet of pine bark mulch cover |
Answer: | I’ve had a substantial amount of straw seed in these bags. I definitely would not say they are weed free. |
Question: | How Much Does It Weigh |
Answer: | Absolutely, yes. I've used this for the past five years in my vegetable container gardens. It contains no pesticides or chemicals, only straw and guar gum as the tacking agent. It's the best mulch I've used. I always go back to it when I attempt to try anything else. |
Product description
Rubberific Mulch stands alone as the industry’s hallmark recycled rubber mulch. This realistically-textured ground cover is made from 100% recycled rubber and will not fade, rot, compress or lose its original beauty, even after years of exposure to the elements. Rubberific Mulch saves homeowners time and money, and is one of the safest playground coverings available.
- Sold on Amazon
User questions & answers
Question: | How many bags do I need to fill a planter that is 66" wide x 11" high and 15" deep |
Answer: | Not sure it but I think the weight should be on the bag and in the description. I use it for my potting base. Make the potted plant much lighter and help in drainage. |
Question: | how manu cu ft per bag |
Answer: | My bag didn't say organic on it. |
Question: | Has anyone complained about dogs eating it |
Answer: | Absolutely not. These are not food-grade bean hulls or packaged for human consumption. The hulls are packed in plastic bags (probably not food safe) and I would imagine they are stacked on palettes out in the open. But: excellent mulch, especially when you spread it over newspaper. If you meant "compost tea" for plants in your garden then probably yes -- a great idea! |
Question: | How many square feet does a bag cover at 2" depth |
Answer: | I have no idea. I have no idea if they are gmo-free, either. I don't know if there is a certified-organic mulch of any kind on the market. It is the hull from a cocoa bean. It is a natural component of a plant = organic. Cocoa beans are grown in central America. Are you actually asking if the beans come from a farm that is certified organic? I am going to go out on a limb here and say "probably not". |
Product description
Ever Dream of Owning Your own Business, or Have one already, but want to Expand, Yet Don't know how? In Today's Economy, you'll Need a Cutting Edge. The Bark / Mulch Blowing Business Gives you that Edge to Owning your Own Business, or Increase Your Profits in one Season's Time! In this DVD You'll Find ALL The Information You'll Need to Enter this Lucrative Industry!
Product description
Akron-Mils Miracle Mulch 24ea The all natural beautifying ground cover that lasts up to 2 years. Retards weed growth. Reduces watering. Prevents soil erosion. Beautifies outdoor areas. 100 percent premium coconut fiber and coir chunk blend. Expands 5 fold in five minutes to cover 2 cubic feet.
- Akron-Mils Miracle Mulch 24ea The all natural beautifying ground cover that lasts up to 2 years. Retards weed growth. Reduces watering
- Retards weed growth
- Reduces watering
- The all natural beautifying ground cover that lasts up to 2 years
- Retards weed growth
- Reduces watering
- Prevents soil erosion
- Beautifies outdoor areas
User questions & answers
Question: | Has anyone used this mulch in raised vegetable beds? I'd like to try it as a cover to retain moisture and prevent weeds |
Answer: | I used this great product One bag covered about a 5x5 area! |
Question: | Has anyone mixed this in with their sandy soil? If so, was it helpful |
Answer: | Yes. It is dark colored |
Question: | I have a small 2ft by 10ft raised bed. Will 1 bag be enough to top mulch this bed |
Answer: | No, didn't see any bugs in mines. |
Question: | I have 3 questions |
Answer: | One bag of this pine bark mulch is very small. How much it covers will depend on how deep you want to go. I think it's really meant for indoor use due to the size of each bag. There are "mulch calculators" online. These will tell you the coverage you can expect. |
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