People apply mulch for various reason such as controlling the soil ’s temperature , ameliorate the look ofgardensand lawns , and render nutrients to both the plant and the ground .
Wood chip and bark are most commonly used when it comes to the wide smorgasbord of mulches on the market . However , gardeners will find that many other type of non - wood mulch are as undecomposed .
In this article , we ’ll discuss other mulch types that are n’t Grant Wood , why non - wood mulch is safe for gardens and could be good , and which mulch might be best for your garden .
Non-wood mulches
Before we get into specifics , get ’s go ahead and heel out a number of non - wood mulches out there . This tilt is n’t exhaustive because mulch can be comprise of a swell many different materials . However , some of the more common are :
The list could continue , but you get the melodic theme . Below are more in - depth details on the top three non - wood mulches on this list .
Rock mulch
Pebbles , rocks , gravel , stone … they can all be used as an alternative mulch for weed suppression and to retain moisture . One of the bully benefit of rock mulch for your garden is the fact that you ’ll rarely need to supercede it . to boot , rock music mulch tends to complement the trend of mod architecture . Of more importance than aesthetics to the gardener is the fact that rocks can help retain heat . In turn , this may help extend the grow season of your plants .
Pebbles , rock-and-roll , crushed rock , Oliver Stone
totally safe for the garden , rock mulch does have a few disadvantage , such as the fact that it ’s not biodegradable . Rocks do n’t wear away easy , and they do n’t put nutrient back into the land as some other mulch do when they decompose .
Inorganic black mulch
While naturalblack mulchis basically woodwind instrument splintering that have been dyed black , dark inorganic mulch can consist of black rocks , black-market plastic , etc .
black mulch
There are some substantial drawback to black inorganic mulch , making it a less attractive choice for gardeners . While it can facilitate to suppress weeds , if it ’s made of plastic it can also obliterate good organism in the soil , increase the overall temperature of the garden during summer months , and you ’ll have to set up irrigation under it because it ’s essentially waterproof .
On the plus side , inorganic dim mulch can be beneficial in specific case . For example , if you need to plant perennial or vegetables susceptible to the cold , black credit card mulch can increase the soil temperature and benefit these pinnace plant .
Not as negative as black charge card , black rock can also be considered a character of inorganic mordant mulch . If you decide to utilize them , you ’ll require to check that that you put them around plants that are already well - make . You wo n’t want your plant harm due to temperature fluctuations .
With that tell , some drawbacks for your garden include whether the rocks might crush your plant ’s tender stem or contract the soil . Additionally , rocks can be awkward to maneuver if you ’re working in a veggie garden .
Rubber mulch
Made up of rubber reclaim from one-time , recycled tires , rubber mulchprovides gardeners with some advantages not offered by wood mulch . For good example , India rubber mulch allows soil temperatures that can be higher and lower than Natalie Wood mulch provide . This is because rubber mulch is an excellent insulator . Moreover , body of water is able to make its fashion around the individual rubber pieces that make up the mulch without being absorbed by the rubber at all . The rubber ’s nonporous nature reduces unwanted industrial plant development , fungus , and acts as a barrier to weeds .
rubber mulch
While this can be considered a good option mulch than inorganic black mulch , it still has some drawback . One of these is that like rock mulch , it does n’t decompose and therefore does n’t refund any nutrients to your garden ’s soil .
You ’ll also need to give care to the type of recycle rubber used . Some kinds may ooze harmful chemicals and minerals into the ground that can hurt your plant . Usually , this is n’t a trouble ; but if large concentrations are strip out of the gum elastic , it ’s a bad matter .
Why it all matters
When it comes to sess bar , urine retentiveness , stain birthrate , and temperature regulation , resolve which mulch to employ is an crucial consideration . There are substantial benefit to both traditional as well as non - wood mulch as well as certain drawbacks .
When looking at both traditional and non - wood mulch , you ’ll need to think about such things as temperature regulation , whether you ’ll need to add nutrient to your garden ’s dirt , overall monetary value , sustainment , contamination , and mold .
