![]() It’s also a great choice for potted plants, containers, and for indoor use because it has a smooth texture and almost no odor. Therefore, you should water the plants less frequently when you use this mulch. The strong point of this mulch type is that the coconut husk mulch absorbs the water very well and slowly releases it to the plants. This mulch is made from coconut shells and is a perfect alternative to the tree bark-based mulches.Ĭoconut husk allows good air flow, keeps the weeds out, doesn’t wash away when you water your plants and contains absolutely no pesticides and no chemicals. Coconut Husk Mulch (Coir Mulch/Coco Husk Chips) By Fotokannan, from Wikimedia CommonsCoconut husk mulch is a 100% organic bio-degradable and eco-friendly mulch that I recommend for protecting your vegetables from weeds. I’ll start with my favorite mulches and which I consider being the best mulch for vegetable gardens. Coconut Husk Mulch (Coir Mulch/Coco Husk Chips) If you want to use dyed mulches, simply research where the mulch has come from and fertilize plants with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer. Since these mulches are not dyed, they will also not fade as quickly as dyed mulches and will not need to be topped up as often. Colored mulch in gardens can actually rob the plants of the nitrogen they need to survive.īetter alternatives to dyed mulches are pine needles, natural double or triple processed mulch, cedar mulch, or pine bark. When wood breaks down, it requires nitrogen to do so. They will help retain soil moisture and help protect plants during winter, but they do not enrich the soil or add beneficial bacteria and nitrogen, as natural mulches do.ĭyed mulches break down much slower than natural mulches. Safety of Dyed Mulch in the Gardenīesides the potential dangers of colored mulch and pets, people, or young plants, dyed mulches are not beneficial for the soil. It can also be harmful to people spreading this mulch and animals who dig in it. CCA-treated wood can kill beneficial soil bacteria, beneficial insects, earthworms, and young plants. Using CCA to treat wood was banned in 2003, but many times this wood is still taken from demolitions or other sources and recycled into dyed mulches. ![]() These recycled bits of treated wood can contain chromates copper arsenate (CCA). While most natural mulches, like double or triple shredded mulch, cedar mulch, or pine bark, are made directly from trees, many colored mulches are made from recycled wood– like old pallets, decks, crates, etc. This is pretty rare, though, and usually, it is not the dye itself that is of concern with the safety of mulches, but rather the wood. Generally, if the price of dyed mulch seems too good to be true, it probably is not good at all, and you should spend the extra money on better quality and safer mulch. Some cheap dyes, however, can be dyed with harmful or toxic chemicals. ![]() I sometimes encounter customers who ask, “Is colored mulch toxic?” Most colored mulches are dyed with harmless dyes, like iron oxide-based dyes for red or carbon-based dyes for black and dark brown. Continue reading to learn more about colored mulch vs. Dyed mulches can be very aesthetically pleasing and make landscape plants and beds stand out, but not all dyed mulches are safe or healthy for plants. In fact, rock tends to heat up and dry out the soil. ![]() While rock needs to be topped off and replaced less frequently, it does not benefit the soil or plants. Although the landscape company with which I work for carries many different types of rock and mulches to fill landscape beds, I always suggest using natural mulches.
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