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Mulch & The
Garden
Mulching serves several purposes. It provides temperature control
for the soil, helps to retain moisture, reduces weeds, protects
plants from disease and when organic mulch is used, it improves
the soil texture, adds nutrients and encourages earthworms. |
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Helpful
Links Related to Mulch:
HGTV: Mulch
Mania: Answers to Common Questions
UGA EXT: Mulching
Vegetables
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Rubber Mulch:
Rubber mulch provides several advantages over plant material based mulches. For
landscaping and gardening purposes, both nuggets and buffings insulate soil from
heat allowing a 2 or 3 degrees F higher soil temperature difference over wood mulches.
Rubber mulch is beneficial for soil moisture as rubber is non-porous and does not absorb
water on its way through to the soil. It also reduces fungus growth and plant growth,
and becomes a weed barrier as weed seeds dehydrate in the mulch before reaching the
soil. Neither nuggets nor buffings provide any humus to compacted soil types. Rubber
mulch seen with playground equipment in the background. Another advantage over plant-material
mulches is its elasticity, which gives it a springy quality when used in a fairly thick
layer. This makes it a natural choice for playgrounds, where the extra springiness provides
additional safety for children when they fall off of playground equipment. Tests have shown
rubber mulch is superior in breaking falls to traditional bark mulches. The International
Play Equipment Manufacturers Association has certified some rubber mulches for ASTM F1292-09.
It can be 97% wire free for landscape use and 99.9% wire free for playgrounds. Rubber mulch
is also becoming a product of choice used in horse arenas for footing material when mixed
with sand. It can be found in nugget or shredded style. Rubber mulch is seen as an effective
and safe alternative to wood mulch, reducing the regional and global carbon footprint by
reusing materials that would otherwise end up in landfills. Its durability can be up to
twelve times greater than wood mulch- with wood mulch lasting an average of four seasons-
as it doesn't deteriorate over time. |
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Cypress Mulch:
A popular mulch for those looking for a light yellow color. The freshness
and aroma of the cypress brings alive any planting area. This mulch
contains long slender fibers of cypress wood. Some say this mulch
is resistant to many insects and unwanted bugs. This mulch will last
for many years. |
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Cypress Chips:
This square cut cypress mulch works great for play areas and other
landscaping needs. The cut allows for maximum safety protection from
splinters. This cypress is clean and consistent in size. The yellow
color also distinguishes this mulch from any other. |
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Decorative Brown:
Made from recycled wood pallet fibers it receives a environmental
friendly dye that fully coats this decorative mulch. It really works
well with those flower beds or natural areas with a lot of green
plants. This contrast is very popular among our customers. Decorative
Red is a consistent mulch in size and texture and is clan of debris. |
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Decorative Red:
A festive color of red that is sure to awaken your yard with vibrant
color contrasts. Made from recycled wood pallet fibers it receives
a environmental friendly dye that fully coats this decorative mulch.
It really works well with those flower beds or natural areas with
a lot of green plants. This contrast is very popular among our customers.
Decorative Red is a consistent mulch in size and texture and is clan
of debris. |
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Mixed Hardwood:
A cost effective choice. It has been single ground, thus producing
larger wood fibers with a variation in sizes throughout. Not as fine
as the Red Oak but it works just as well on hills or any other mulching
area. Also called a hill-hugger for it's ability to hold tight to
surfaces. This provides a good coverage for trapping needed water
in the soil. |
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Large Nuggets: Large
3.5 to 6 inch bark pieces that will outlast almost any other mulch.
Provides a deep texture top a planting bed. With a light brown color
this mulch will blend in to any natural area or flower bed. |
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Mini Nuggets:
Very popular look with small bark chips. Taken from pine trees
this mulch allows for a different look than most fiber based mulches.
Easy to work with and to apply. Contains .5 inch to 3.5 inch bark
pieces. Light brown in color |
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Pine Mulch: This
fine shredded mulch will add needed nutrients to any soil. This mulch
is great for new planting areas because it will introduce the soil
to new organic fibers and nitrogen. It has a reddish color and also
a fine consistency that provides for a neat and smooth look when
applied to any surface. |
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Red Oak: Double
ground red oak hardwood. Double ground means that it has been processed
twice as compared to the mixed hardwood which has been processed
once. Great for any use around the home or business. Adds the ability
to hold tight to strong slopes or sharp declines. Also great for
natural looking walkways through your garden |
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Screened Hardwood is
a screen version of our standard hardwood. The screening process
allows for the size to be consist ant, which offers a smoother contrast
when placed on a planting bed. You do not need to worry about extra
large pieces standing out. |
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Wood Chips: Local
chipped wood. Affordable price. Various wood. |
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Pine Straw is
very common in the southeast. As a groundcover pine straw can be
used to cover large areas of landscape at an affordable price. The
reddish brown color also offers great contrast with most plants and
shrubs. One bale of straw can cover any where from 35 sq ft to 100
sq ft depending on how thick you place it. |
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Wheat Straw can
be used to set a new lawn when planting seed. It can also be used
for various projects when erosion control is needed. |
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Other Mulching Facts
A mulch of wood shavings, bark, straw, dried lawn clippings, leaves,
sawdust or pine straw will help conserve moisture and keep down
weeds. To be effective, the mulch must be applied between the rows
and around the plants. Do not apply mulch to the garden too early
in the spring; soil needs to warm up. Mulch will block the sunlight
and the soil will remain cool and retard early plant growth. Wait
four weeks after setting transplants before applying mulch. Such
a mulch is valuable around unstaked tomato, cucumber and bush squash
plants to keep the fruit from contact with the soil. Mulch should
be about 2 to 4 inches deep after it has settled.
The mulch material can be raked off after the gardening season
and re-used, or it can be spread over the area and worked into
the soil. If much decomposed material is added to the soil, use
some nitrogen fertilizer on the surface before spading it under
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