Because rubber mulch is made from recycled tires, it may contain pieces of exposed wire.
Rubber mulch may also contain trace elements of heavy metals like lead and manganese, while also off-gassing volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
The downsides of using rubber mulch
It doesn't have the nutrient quality of organic mulch. In fact, it doesn't have ANY nutrients at all. As a result, it will interfere with your soil's delicate balance and it won't provide any nutrients to help your plants and vegetables grow.
Rubber mulch is suspected of being toxic to plants, containing high levels of zinc which leaches into the soil, causing chlorosis. It also poses health concerns, as it releases heavy metals, plasticizers, and accelerators into the environment.
This guideline recommends that immediately over the hard surface there should be a 3- to 6-inch base layer of loose-fill (e.g., gravel for drainage). The next layer should be a Geotextile cloth. GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch should be installed directly over this layer.
* Rubber lets rain drain through better than compacted wood mulch and doesn't absorb much (if any) of that water. That means more water for plant roots.
When using mulch in your landscape, there is no need for the use of artificial weed barrier such as plastic or landscape fabric. These materials do not work and are not weed barriers. They are only necessary under stone.
There are several reasons: In hot, sunny weather, rubber mulch gets hot. Rubber mulch absorbs the heat of the sun. On a hot summer day, the mulch also gets hot — sometimes, uncomfortably so for children.
Some people like to use rubber mulch because it doesn't need to be replaced as often as wood chips. Most manufacturers boast that their tire mulch lasts at least 10 years. Clearly, rubber mulch lasts much longer than organic mulches, but there's a tradeoff: Rubber mulch doesn't add organic matter to the soil.
Rubber mulch provides excellent drainage for the soil and supplies great insulation against harsh weather. It also allows a higher degree of heat to be maintained in the soil as well as maintaining its moisture levels. Wood mulch, however, can starve plants.
The Environmental Protection Agency has studied rubber mulch and found it to be a safe material, posing no health hazards to pets or people.
This may be a matter of opinion, but most people find that rubber mulch starts to stink as it gets hotter. On a hot day it has a strong stench. As tires are ground up into chips the amount of surface area is greatly increased and all the new surfaces are freshly exposed allowing for maximum odors to be released.
Rubber Mulch Is Not Healthy For Your Garden's Health
Rubber mulch isn't a healthy choice. Like everything else, it does break down, and when it does, it leaches a witch's brew of heavy metals and toxic chemicals into the soil and groundwater.
The material can contain heavy metals like lead and manganese, volatile organic compounds like toluene, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The chemicals are associated with cancer and other illnesses at certain levels of exposure.
Rubber Mulch Is Susceptible to Specific Fungi
For the most part, because it's inorganic and doesn't absorb water, rubber isn't susceptible to molds and fungi ... that is, except for species of brown rot and white rot fungus that attack the mulch's chemical additives.
SOFT LANDING RUBBER MULCH (SLRM)
So soft you can walk barefoot, and unlikely to cause injury if thrown. Rubber mulch makes backyard swingsets much safer because it does not absorb water or freeze like traditional mulch does.
There are two ways by which you can clean your rubber mulch, one is to use a leaf blower to clean out leaves or debris from your mulch. But if you are looking for a more thorough clean, we suggest washing your mulch. Sprinkle environment-friendly soap on the mulch covered area and spray with a hose.
For growing spaces, your best mulch option is wood chips. For pathways and barren, decorative areas, stone chips are a good choice. Heavier mulches are less prone to washing or blowing away in inclement weather.
Gravel mulch includes pea gravel, crushed stone and pebbles. Although both types of mulch can be used in the garden, rubber mulch is the preferred mulch for layering under outdoor play equipment and on athletic fields due to its softness and resiliency.
Unlike wood mulch, rubber mulch used in landscaping doesn't attract termites, carpenter ants or other harmful wood destroying insects so it's the ideal mulch for use around buildings, foundations, and wood structures.
Well, thankfully, we're here to alleviate those concerns. Rubber mulch will smell for two to three days after installation. It smells like a brand new pair of sneakers on the first day of school. After the two-three days, the scent goes away.
While rubber mulch rings are easy to install and last for years, the bottom line is they're not the best for trees. Rubber mulch rings are less effective than natural mulch and can possibly hurt your tree. As the rubber breaks down over time, the rubber adds toxic contaminants into the soil.
How deep should my rubber mulch be? 1-2 inches depth is enough rubber mulch for landscaping and gardening needs. American Society for Testing Materials requires a depth of 3-6 inches to meet playground safety standards. This will sufficiently cushion falls from 6-12 feet.
When it comes to residential playground applications, a 4” – 5” installation depth is typical based on the average height of residential playground equipment. 4” installation depth provides up to 10' critical fall height protection and a 5” installation depth provides up to 12' critical fall height protection.