15 Mulch Alternatives for Your Garden

by Erin Marissa Russell

There are so many different choice to mulch that it will be gentle to find one — or a few — that are right for your garden on this inclination . We ’ve explained the basics of how each method play along with a few of the pros and con for each mulch alternative .

Bark

Bark will add nutrients to the dirt as it give way down and is cheap . you’re able to find bark to use as mulch at your local nursery or garden centre . Bark chips have a course dark coloring material . They do not decompose as quick as wood splintering do in the garden . Bark chips are by nature water repellent due to the petroleum they contain , so they will do best in margin or parts of the garden where plants are not growing .

Cocoa Bean Hulls

Like other constituent mulch reserve , cocoa bonce Hull will decompose in your garden , tot nourishment to the soil for your plants . The Hull are exchangeable to the shell of a peanut . Before the chocolate edible bean can be eat , this shell must be removed . Cocoa bonce hulls do an excellent line of work of keeping wet in the soil and maintaining a balanced temperature . The shells will give your garden a sweet smell . However , just like coffee , cocoa bean hull are dangerous to ducky . Although it may seem improbable that a pet would have enough chocolate bean hull to endanger themselves , it is potential , as they ’re attracted by the sweet olfactory perception and penchant . For safety reasons , we only commend using cocoa attic Hull as a mulch relief if you do not have pets that spend time in your garden .

Compost

Compost is super nutritious and can be madevery chintzily . This make it an splendid mulch substitute . Use a slight layer of compost , ensure not to let it touch your plants . You ’ll need to allow for a margin of a distich of inches , which prevent the spread of plant life disease in your garden .

Crushed Shells

Crushed scale are a great substitute for mulch and can be very attractive in the garden . Crushed shells do n’t hold onto heat in the summertime the way modest rocks do . They also decompose , although at a slow pace , and add Ca to your territory as they break down . This can cause your soil to be too alkaline for many plants . As a safeguard , you may use credit card sheeting underneath your bed of crushed shells to make trusted the calcium does n’t leach into your garden grunge . If you survive on the coast , crushed shells can be quite low-priced as you may roll up them yourself . But if you choose to do this , make certain you carefully rinse the shells to remove the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks deposits before using them near your plants .

Grass Clippings

you could garner Gunter Grass clipping after you mow your cubic yard , earn this an affordable option . However , before you use them , the grass clippings will postulate to dry out first . Do not use pasture clippings from Gunter Grass that has been treat with chemicals in your garden .

Green Mulch

Also bid “ cover crop ” or “ catch crops , ” unripe mulch are grown in empty areas to capture the soil ’s nutrition ( which can otherwise be lost to corrosion , water runoff , etc . ) . At least two weeks before planting , the crop are cut down and mixed into the soil , where they decompose and let go of the nutrient they captured earlier . This article ongreen manurehas a list of plants you could use as green manure and some more information about how it lick .

Hay or Straw

Hay or chaff in the garden is an excellent way to oppress weeds like a mulch would . It also serve moisture stay in the grunge where your plants can access it . As it break down , hay or straw will release life-sustaining nutrients into the stain . You do take to apply quite a thick layer of hay or straw over the surface of your soil . It also is n’t especially pretty , so some gardeners choose to use hay or chaff for the bulk of their mulch and then cover it with something that await a snatch nicer . Hay or stubble ca-ca an especially skilful mulch alternative if you have a large area to extend with mulch . That ’s because hay and straw are both affordable and easy to spread over a large area .

Landscape Fabric

Landscape fabric knead well as a mulch substitute when your principal finish is controlling weeds . you’re able to use it alone or spread it underneath a layer of pea gravel or small Harlan F. Stone . landscape painting fabric does provide a bit of trade protection against louse and helps with keeping moisture in the ground . But if what you ’re looking for is a mulch that will sum nutrients to your soil as it breaks down , you wo n’t line up it here . Landscape cloth is also a bit of a pain to install , and it ’s not very durable against inclement weather . It can be damage in the class of regular gardening , and it ’s not as green as organic mulch method . However , landscape cloth can be affordable when compare to a mulch choice like bark silicon chip .

Leaves or Pine Needles

you could use leaves or true pine needles that have dried out as mulch . dry out out the leaves or pine phonograph needle before use helps to keep them from upgrade plant disease or providing a abode for insect or vermin . tear up the leaves before using them , though you could decamp this step with pine needle . As the leaves or pine tree needles decompose , they ’ll add full of life nutrients to the filth for your plant . you’re able to collect , teetotal , and shred your own leaves or roll up pine needle from your own M , or you’re able to buy dry , tear up leaves or dried pine needles at the greenhouse or garden shopping centre . you’re able to even roll up fallen pine needles from your Christmas tree to use in your garden .

Pea Gravel

Unlike pocket-size stone , pea crushed rock is made up of small , consistently sized sway that are orotund . pea plant crushed rock will keep moisture in the soil where plants can get at it . Where the weather is nerveless , pea plant crushed rock will help with hold back the ground warm . In warm regions , however , gravel can really wake up in the temperateness . That ’s why you should avoid letting the pea crushed rock touch your plant — so the het up rock wo n’t scorch the plants in your garden . pea plant crushed rock wo n’t decompose like some mulch materials , so your territory wo n’t get any added nutritionary benefit from it . you’re able to use fertilizer to add nutrition to your soil if you choose to mulch with pea gravel . These diminutive rocks wo n’t do much to dissuade the strongest gage , so if you ’re look for sess control , choose another method or spread landscape cloth on the ground before adding the pea crushed rock .

Pumice Stone

You may retrieve pumice stone sold under the name “ volcanic rock ” or “ lava rock . ” It ’s a great all - around mulch substitute . you may number on pumice stone stone to discourage insect , improve the filth texture and aeration , keep grease gratis of mold and fungus kingdom , and keep moisture . It also has a vivid brick cerise color that looks beautiful in the garden . Although pumice stone gem can be a bit on the expensive side , in summation to all these benefit it is lasting and long - lasting . Like other rock mulch alternative , pumice stone is susceptible to heating up in the sunlight , which can damage plants . As a solvent , just leave a margin of a duet of inch around your plants when you ’re applying the pumice stone stone to your garden .

Rubber Mulch

Rubber mulch is made from recycled tires . It reduce the likelihood of fungus in the garden , cut down on weed development , and help the soil remain at a temperate temperature . As with careen mulch , rubber mulch will not add any nutrient to the grime . However , there is a concern that small amounts of chemicals may strip into the soil where prophylactic is used , which may be harmful for some plants . On the other hand , galosh mulch is long - lasting in the garden . Its use cuts down on the need for Tree and other constituent materials in mulch .

Shredded Newspaper

newspaper publisher is n’t as moderately as some other mulch substitutes , but it does the trick . Using sliced newspaper as mulch will serve the grime last out moist and keep the temperature moderate . sliced paper are also great at asphyxiate out pot . Moisten the paper just before you put it down to help it stay in seat .

Small Rocks

modest rock countenance for some creative thinking when you use them as a mulch relief . you’re able to take rocks of a certain color that accents your garden , or use different colored John Rock to make patterns on top of your territory . These rocks wo n’t furnish any spare nutriment for your plants because they do n’t break down , but they do help the stain to retain wet . Using little rocks as a mulch reliever will also keep some weeds at bay . However , to keep all weeds out , it ’s unspoiled to use a bed of landscape fabric underneath the John Rock . Small rocks can heat up in the Dominicus , so avoid allowing the stone to touch your plants . Leave a pocket-size margin of empty space in between the John Rock and your plant . Small rocks are affordable and long - lasting .

Wood Chips

The most commonly used type of wood chips are cedar because they are a born deterrent to fleas and other undesirable insects . The color of wood chips vary look on the case of woodwind instrument they are made from . Grant Wood chips are comparatively quick to decompose , get nutrition to your garden . However , this means that you may require to interchange Sir Henry Joseph Wood check more promptly than other mulch substitutes .

Still have trouble deciding ? Pumice stone is our favorite for most gardening situations . However , each mulch alternative has its strengths , so it ’s all about finding the one that works best for your special situation . If you have a list of several to take from , it ’s metre to start think about aesthetics . Which one of these mulch choice will be prettiest in your garden ?