Considering Mulch... which type to use?

[Treppiede]

Hello,
I am considering using mulch in my yard and have been reading up online about its benefits.

I am currently in GA (hardiness zone 7-8) and the mulch will be spread in an area from which pine trees were recently removed and two Japanese Maples were planted.

I am also planning on planting a couple more fruit-bearing trees (example: apple, pear, pomegranate) as well as lavender within the next couple of weeks. I might also split some of my pampas grass from other areas of my yard and place it there as well (I have another thread about Pampas Grass in this Forum).

Could you please recommend the best mulch type for the above application? I see several different types on sites like HomeDepot, Lowes, ACE_HW etc and I'd like to buy something that would do well in the above area, is reasonably priced and has reasonable longevity. I am not picky about colour.

Also, I assume the optimal bag-weight/spread-area and height ratio will be specified on the packaging...?

Thank you in advance for helping me with my yard!

Regards,

-Walter

 

[Saw Bones]

Hello,
I am considering using mulch in my yard and have been reading up online about its benefits.

I am currently in GA (hardiness zone 7-8) and the mulch will be spread in an area from which pine trees were recently removed and two Japanese Maples were planted.

I am also planning on planting a couple more fruit-bearing trees (example: apple, pear, pomegranate) as well as lavender within the next couple of weeks. I might also split some of my pampas grass from other areas of my yard and place it there as well (I have another thread about Pampas Grass in this Forum).

Could you please recommend the best mulch type for the above application? I see several different types on sites like HomeDepot, Lowes, ACE_HW etc and I'd like to buy something that would do well in the above area, is reasonably priced and has reasonable longevity. I am not picky about colour.

Also, I assume the optimal bag-weight/spread-area and height ratio will be specified on the packaging...?

Thank you in advance for helping me with my yard!

Regards,

-Walter

I have been told by many of the local gardeners in my area that pine straw is the best. It has worked well for me.

 

[Lumberjacked]

I think the bright red stuff is just lovely! only kidding.... Im with Medic, pine straw is pretty classy too!

 

[Labman]

Cocoa hulls will poison dogs.

I used to mulch the beds at church, red, brown, black, I used what the ladies said to.

 

[Treppiede]

Thanks for the advice everyone... but those Pines I removed had been such a nightmare I don't look forward to seeing traces of pinestraw in that section of the yard for a long time (I still have 30+ pine trees on the other side, so I can always walk that way if I start missing pinestraw and need a reminder of what a PITA it can be).



-Walter

 

[dingeryote]

Treppiede,

Pine straw is locally available and cheap(I used to live in Mableton )
But there are some considerations for your fruit trees.

As pine straw breaks down it will affect the ph of the soil in the immediate area, and the mulch will leach nitrogen, so adjust your soil ammendments accordingly.

Best of luck!!
Dingeryote

 

[Hawken]

Pine mulch and chips attract ants,
cypress mulch is pretty much generic (doesn't help/doesn't hurt)
cedar mulch is a natural repellent
Hardwood sometimes can mold.

 

[Treppiede]

Thanks Hawken.

According to your answer, looks like Cedar Mulch might be the best option. Do you know if it is known to release any soil-altering substance that might affect the plants/trees I mentioned for said area?

Thank you,

-Walter

 

[Hawken]

If it is mulch from cedar heartwood it will be long-lasting and will not break down like some pine mulches, so it won't put anything noticeable in the soil. Some don't like the cedar because some of the insects it discourages may be beneficial.

You really can't win. I avoid pine because of the attraction of ants around the house.

All of the mulches will fade so each year you will have to stir them up to return the color and maybe add some more mulch.

Chips float more than mulches, so if the area gets really wet or if there is water flow it could wash the bedding away.

 

[Treppiede]

Great, thank you for clarifying.

-Walter

 

[Ed Roland]

Just like everything else in this industry mulch has it's own science.

I'm no scientist. But i did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

The designer colored ground wood mulches are from recycled industrial pallets. Mulching with ground wood pallets or any other product with a high carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratio, such as straw, hardwood bark, ground wood pallets can induced a nitrogen deficiency in yew, river birch, and rhododendron or any other shallow rooted plant or new transplant. The nitrogen-depleting effect of mulch does diminish over time as the material decomposes.

A composted blend of stems, branches, leaves, and grass clippings (lower carbon-to-nitrogen ratio) may not be as pretty but should be better for the plantings.

Or use your high C:N mulch with some N fert. for that season.

 

[maybar]

Cocoa hulls will poison dogs.

I used to mulch the beds at church, red, brown, black, I used what the ladies said to.

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Smart man.
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At one time I liked to use cotton seed hulls from the farmers co-op feed mill. I liked the way they packed and looked until my free ranging chicken hens discovered there was a corn kernel in them scattered at random. Then my fine looking mulch looked scattered at random for sure. Surprising how far those claws can throw those things for one corn kernel.

 

[S Mc]

Walter, mulching under your trees is a wonderful idea. Organic mulch will put nutrients back into the soil as it decomposes. Please remember that decomposition means breaking down and the organisms which do this are many and complex. Some of them are fungi species and may have fruiting bodies which will occur in your mulched area. These are not harmful and are simply part of the natural process. If these offend you, simply rake them lightly. I much prefer the organic mulches for the nutrients they put back into the environment...and your plants will prefer that also.

You are trying to produce a suitable growing environment for your plantings, therefore, you are assisting the soil in its development and growth. You may need to reapply over time but a garden is an ever-changing, growing, developing environment. Why would you want it to stagnate?


In a natural environment, the mulch preferred by the trees/plants are of like species. A tree distributes its own matter under itself. Therefore, I like to use mulches that are as near as possible to the species planted. If you have a variety, then a variety of mulch is appropriate.

As Woodweasel pointed out, shallow rooted plants/trees need a lighter coating. (I personally am not a fan of ground up pallets as they may have been treated with chemicals.)

You may want to contact a local tree service to see if they have whole tree chips available. Many of these are either free or very inexpensive compared to big box store products. Ask to see the chips to be sure they are of a quality/size you are happy with.

You should figure on spreading approximately 2 - 4" thick. DO NOT DIG IT INTO THE SOIL. and DO NOT PUT IT UP AGAINST ANY OF THE TRUNKS! These are common mistakes made by many.

Sylvia