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What Are Popular Kinds Of Mulch?

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Laying mulch can turn a summer landscaping project into a great success. But how does one know which mulch to choose and what benefits can be gained? Here’s a look at the different varieties and what each has to offer.

 

Cedar and Cypress Mulch

These are the most commonly used types of landscape mulch. Mulch like Cedarand cypress are popular because of their durability, aesthetics, and great smell. These varieties are especially useful on paths or slopes, as they don’t wash away easily. Cypress mulch is ideal for properly covering areas while Cedar mulch tends to keep fleas and pests away if there are pets in the vicinity.

 

Red Cedar Mulch and Brown Cedar Mulch

These varieties are made of ground-up wood, such as pellets, and dyed to get their rich color. They’re perfect for flowerbeds, as they help to keep down weeds, but not as effective for potted plants. If a gardener is considering red or brown cedar mulch, they should ensure that the manufacturer uses raw lumber as opposed to recycled wood that might contain objectionable additives like arsenic. The dyes used in these varieties are considered safe.

 

Different Colors and Their Effect

The dye used for red varieties is rich in iron oxide. It’s basically a rust that is not toxic to plants or the environment. Black varieties have been colored with carbon black, almost like burned charcoal. Some varieties are even colored with vegetable dyes.

The colored varieties serve not only the purpose of keeping moisture in, they’re great for accenting colors in your beds and glisten beautifully in the rain. The finer texture helps keep these varieties in place, too, during wind and storms.

The best times to apply mulch are from mid to late Spring, and Fall. It is best to apply mulch after several rainfalls when the soil is moist. Putting mulch on dry soil may prevent the rain from reaching the soil.

 

The Benefits

Whether ordering bulk mulch or just enough quantity to cover the desired area, the benefits that can be reaped from landscaping with mulch include:

  • Inhibition of weed growth and germination,

  • Retained soil moisture (which protects plants from drying out quickly),

  • Soil temperature moderation,

  • Protection of a plant’s roots from winter weather,

  • Frost-heaving prevention, and

  • Added soil nutrition (depending on the type of mulch used).

 

Buying Mulch From Sutherlands

Sutherlands stocks a range of mulches such as Cypress mulch and brown mulch. Certain stores also offer bulk mulch.

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