Mulch Buying Guide

In addition to the benefits listed above, organic mulch enriches the soil as it breaks down. However, you’ll need to replenish it as it decomposes and settles. Some natural mulch will make your soil more acidic, which is great for using around plants like rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and magnolias. Other mulch will make soil more alkaline, which works well for most plants that don’t need acidic soil. Some organic mulch is regional and only available in certain locations.

Wood Mulch

Wood mulch has a visually pleasing texture and color. It decomposes slowly, so it’s long lasting, but slow decomposition means it won’t add nutrients to the soil as readily as some other types. You can find shredded-wood mulch made from a variety of tree species. Use decomposed, seasoned material to reduce your plants’ exposure to toxins, acidic substances and fungal contamination. Apply wood mulch yearly to ensure consistent coverage. Some wood mulch is made up of large pieces and looks better around trees and shrubs than in beds with small plants.

• Cedar and cedar blends have a pleasant fragrance. Cedar lasts longer than other organic mulch and acts as a deterrent to insects, especially when it’s fresh.
• Cypress blends also have a pleasant fragrance. Cypress can deter insects and fungus and retains water effectively. It’ll also make the soil more acidic as it decomposes. Because it’s lightweight, cypress mulch can wash away, so it doesn’t work well on slopes.
• Hardwood mulch is either a byproduct of the lumber industry or made from recycled, biodegradable materials. Hardwood mulch tends to make the soil more alkaline as it decomposes.

Pine Bark

Pine bark offers a long-lasting, dark color. It doesn’t compact as much as other types of mulch, allowing water to reach the soil more easily, and its sponge-like consistency helps retain moisture. Pine bark increases the acidity of the soil as it breaks down, so it works well for plants that need those conditions. It also releases aluminum, so it’s a perfect mulch for hydrangeas. However, pine-bark nuggets are lightweight and can wash away during heavy rain, particularly if you use them on slopes.

Pine Needles

Pine needles — also called pine straw — come in bales, which are easy to transport and spread. Like pine bark, they’re a good choice for use around plants that need more-acidic soil. Pine needles are long lasting and work well in large, naturally landscaped areas. The needles interweave, helping to keep the material in place and making it stable in heavy rain. For this reason, it’s better suited than pine bark for sloped areas and can help control soil erosion.  

Straw

Straw also comes in bales and is lightweight, making it easy to transport but a challenge to spread evenly on a windy day. It lacks the pleasing appearance of other mulch and isn’t a top choice for landscaping, but as a garden mulch, weed-free straw helps protect plants from rot caused by fungus and disease. It also deters insects from laying eggs and is good for winter protection of perennials, strawberries and small plants. It decomposes quickly, so you need to replace it more often than other mulch. Straw is a common mulch for newly seeded lawns, where it helps protect the seed from birds and rodents.

Compost

Compost is a mulch that excels at adding organic matter to the soil. It’s highly suitable for use around flowers and vegetables. However, this rich medium provides good growing conditions for weeds. If appearance is important, use it as a soil amendment and find a more visually pleasing material as a cover.

Inorganic mulch effectively reduces weeds and retains moisture with minimal need for replacement, but it doesn’t degrade or provide any nutritional benefits to the soil. Brick, pebbles and stone offer a neat appearance. They don’t blow or wash away like some organic mulch and are available in a variety of textures and colors, including: 

• Red-brick nuggets
• River rocks
• Pea gravel
• Small river pebbles
• Large pond pebbles
• Polished beach pebbles
• Lava rock nuggets
• Marble nuggets 

There are some additional considerations with rocks, pebbles and nuggets. They can reflect heat upward, especially those in lighter colors, which can harm some plants. Also, keep brick and stone pieces out of the lawn, where they can become mowing hazards.

Rubber Mulch

Rubber mulch is an alternative to wood mulch. Rubber mulch is available in natural shades to provide the look of shredded wood or wood nuggets, but it’s less likely than wood mulch to blow away. 

Landscape Fabric

Landscape fabric — also known as geotextile — comes in rolls. It allows air and moisture to enter the soil and reach plant roots. You’ll need to secure it to the ground. It’s good for long-term use, but be sure to remove any weeds that grow on top of it as soon as you see them. The roots can become enmeshed in the fabric, making removal difficult. 

Plastic Sheeting

Plastic sheeting prevents air and water from reaching the soil. You must provide moisture to plants with an irrigation system underneath the material or by manual watering. Plastic is available in black or transparent sheeting. Black material blocks light, while transparent material allows light through and can allow weeds to germinate and grow under the surface. Plastic traps warmth and moisture but can overheat the plants’ roots or retain too much moisture, particularly if it’s covered with a layer of organic mulch. If you use plastic on slopes, any material you place on top can easily wash away. Like landscape fabric, you need to secure plastic to the ground to keep it in place. 

The natural colors of organic mulch include browns and reddish-browns, but the colors fade as the mulch weathers. Mulch with added color gives you more design options and longer-lasting hues. Available in brown, black and red, this mulch can create eye-catching combinations in your landscape. Think about the foliage and blossoms of your plants as well as the color of your home. Here are some tips for how to use mulch colors:

• Brown mulch works with a wide range of plant colors and provides a great backdrop for green foliage. It blends into the landscape and provides a natural look. Depending on the shade of brown, it can even mimic the look of soil. 
• Black mulch can also replicate the look of some types of soil. It provides a dramatic contrast with white blossoms and can work well with a house that has a contemporary or modern look. Black mulch absorbs more heat than other colors, though, which may be an advantage or disadvantage depending on your climate and plants. 
• Red mulch also creates an eye-catching, unexpected feature in your landscape. It complements the green of your lawn and foliage of bedding plants, shrubs and trees. It also works well against light-colored plants.

In addition to prepackaged mulch in brown, black and red, you can create mulch colors using DIY mulch dyes. Remember that color options aren’t confined to organic mulch. Inorganic mulch comes in a variety of colors, including white marble, red-brick nuggets, lava rock and brown, black, red, and green rubber mulch. 

Remember that color options aren’t confined to organic mulch. Inorganic mulch comes in a variety of colors, including brown, black, red and green rubber mulch, white marble, red-brick nuggets, and lava rock.

The uses of mulch extend beyond beautifying your yard and protecting your plants and trees. You can create walkways with mulch, too. Consider adding a dramatic, functional touch to your landscape by making a pebble path or filling in around stepping stones with wood mulch. You can also use mulch to create borders around sidewalks, driveways, patios and pools to set these features off from your lawn.

If you’re interested in reducing the amount of grass in your lawn, stone and rubber mulch can replace green areas while improving the variety of your landscape. Take a look at Lawn Alternatives for more ideas.

Some types of mulch work well as loose-fill material under swing sets and playsets. See our Outdoor Playset Guide for more information.