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.
Mini Pine Nuggets Bark Mulch
Mini pine bark mulch gives your garden a neat, natural look. It breaks down more slowly than shredded mulch, so it won't need to be replenished as often. Great landscaping option for walk paths, driveways, gardens and around the trunks of trees. Chunkier pieces are about one inch in size.
It is organic and creates a soft, natural appearance. Bare feet do well on mulch, as do wheelbarrows or strollers.
BEST MULCH FOR A GARDEN
Paul Gautschi has popularized wood chip gardening, a no-till gardening technique. After using a variety of mulch in his gardens and orchards, Paul's favorite mulch is wood chips. However, if you don't have access to wood chips Paul recommends an organic, natural material that is local to you.
Shredded leaves, straw, lawn clippings, compost, etc.
Organic materials like leaves will break down over time, enriching the soil, encouraging a healthy soil microbiome, and feeding your tree. They are best when combined with heavier organic matter like wood chips. Only use weed-free sources.
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.
Wood chip mulch, especially recycled bark, eucalyptus mulch and pine bark mulch, is the best mulch for natives, promoting microorganism activity and enhancing nutrients in the soil. As organic mulch decomposes, it releases nutrients, including nitrogen, into the soil to bolster the health of your native plants.
At Leaf & Limb, we recommend using organic, coarsely shredded hardwood mulch or arborist wood chips. There are a number of benefits to using this type of material: it helps retain the right amount of moisture, reduces weeds, helps prevent erosion, and it regulates temperature.
For all these reasons, it is vital to choose which mulch is the most suitable for both the plants and the soil in your outdoor space. For almost any kind of plant, lucerne hay (also called Alfalfa) is the best pick. It is universal in terms of usage and availability in Australia.
A really good all-round mulch is the coarse wood mulches such as pine bark or eucalypt chips. They really do a good job of insulating the soil by trapping plenty of air around the particles as well as allowing moisture down into the soil.
So, should you remove old mulch? Expert green thumbs contend that getting rid of last year's mulch is completely unnecessary. Mulch gradually breaks down, adding beneficial nutrients and other organic matter to the soil. Removing pre-existing mulch every year only ends up to be extra work and a needless expense.
Brown mulch is a neutral choice that many homeowners opt for. It can easily complement homes and gardens of all colors, helping both light and dark plants to appear more vibrant. If the elements of your home feature a variety of colors and shades, brown is a universal choice that can bring unity to your outdoor space.
Pine Straw
It doesn't wash away, and it cools the soil. So If you've got a choice, you've got lots of pine trees in your area, pine straw is a very good option.
Cedar Mulch
Generally more expensive than the other mulches mentioned here, this high-end mulch lasts longer than most thanks to its resistance to decay. Its oils are considered to naturally repel insects, too. Because this mulch is long-lasting, it doesn't provide much nutritional benefit to the soil beneath it.
Over time, mulch colors fade due to frequent exposure to sunlight. Regular non-dyed mulch may become a grayish color in one to two months, while dyed brown or black mulches may keep their color for a year or longer.
Skin Any level of skin contact with this product and/or its dust may lead to immediate or delayed skin irritation and susceptible people may cause skin sensation, dermatitis or skin infection.
Keep up with plant maintenance and don't let garden beds get overgrown or weed-choked as a termite problem can go undetected. If you use mulch, then switch to sugar cane mulch as it tends to stay drier than wood mulch and termites are not as attracted to the dry material.
Use fresh organic mulch (wood chips and bark) where you want to control weeds and improve appearance, but where soil improvement isn't needed, such as around trees and shrubs. While organic, it hasn't begun to decompose and will last longer than aged mulch. It'll also enrich the soil as it decomposes.
This simple solution is truly the best way to keep weeds from growing in mulch in the first place. To use landscape fabric, simply cut the fabric to the size of the planted trees, bushes, or shrubs before you start mulching. Then, place the fabric and spread mulch over until it's completely covered.
To smother the weeds and retain moisture within the soil, the layer of mulch needs to be at least 3 inches thick but no more than 3 inches or you could do damage to tree trunks and shrubs. Even two inches of mulch can let through enough sunlight allowing weed seeds to germinate.
Lucerne: Lucerne bales are great to use as mulch on your conventional garden beds.
Yes, because Seasol is virtually phosphorous-free it is safe to use on phosphorous sensitive native plants. You can use it on every type of plant in the garden. Most PowerFeed varieties are safe to use on Australian Natives.
Inorganic mulches such as gravel and pebbles are longer lasting but don't contribute nutrients or soil conditioning features to the soil. However, they are the best soil insulators because they don't break down.
You can't overdose on Seasol. It's not a Fertiliser.