MULCHES, MULCHES, MULCHES

IN THE GARDEN WITH
JUDI AND MANDY

Mulches, mulches, mulches. Should one use them? Which to choose? How to decide?
The mulch quandary is really no quandary at all because the advantages of using them are multifold. Mulches ease the maintenance process; under mulch, weeds are suppressed and resultantly fewer, and those that manage to sprout are easily seen and pulled. Mulches retain water and diminish its evaporation, saving both water costs and gardener`s labor. Mulches further regulate, buffer, soil temperature keeping plants warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer months.

Mulches are many, as by the Oxford English Dictionary definition, a mulch is any material spread around or over a plant to enrich or insulate the soil. Bark, decaying leaves, or compost are simple, convenient mulches. In addition to these materials often easily found in one`s yard, many other mulches may be purchased at any garden center.

ORGANIC MULCHES
Melaleuca mulch: is made from exotic invasive trees and cured at a high temperature to kill seeds; is low in nutrients; decomposes slowly; retains color; is not eaten by termites.

Eucalyptus mulch: is generally made from Florida plantations where fast-growing eucalyptus trees are grown for mulch; is renewable.

Pine straw: is a byproduct of the timber industry; is readily available; rapidly decomposes; does not retain color.

Pine bark: is, again, a byproduct of the timber industry; comes in nugget and ground forms.

INORGANIC MULCHES
Rubber mulch: is typically made from recycled tires, does not decompose; may well be toxic.

Gravel, pebbles: may be used but do not hold water or provide nutrients.

MULCH NOT RECOMMENDED
Cypress mulch: made from cypress tree wood and bark which grow in Florida`s forested wetlands; is nonrenewable; is not preferred by termites. While some of this mulch is made from byproducts of lumber used in furniture and fencing, some is unfortunately made from whole wetland trees.

GENERAL CONCERNS THOUGHTS
* Some mulches, such as pine bark, melaleuca, and cypress last the longest but offer few nutrients.
* Pine bark and pine straw may reduce the soil pH, excellent for azaleas but not necessarily other plants.
* Dyed mulches are typically made from recycled pallets and should be purchased from a reputable source to ensure that the dye is nontoxic and the wood is not pressure treated.
* Do not pack mulch around the base of trees, "volcano mulching" as it is called, as the mulch will retain moisture and potentially rot the trunks.
* A two- or three-inch layer of mulch is optimum.