Have you walked into your local farm and garden store and noticed all the choices for mulching options for your landscape beds? Organic options such as mulch, pine needles, and inorganic rock are the most common. When deciding which works best for you and your needs, here are a few advantages and disadvantages.
Organic Mulch
The biggest advantage of organic mulch is that it is a natural insulator. It will help retain moisture, keeping the soil cool during the summer and warm in the winter. As the product breaks down over time, it will add nutrients to the soil. However, this can also be seen as a disadvantage because organic mulch will need to be replaced as it breaks down. This can be done annually or biennially. NOTE: Avoid allowing the mulch layer to become too deep. A good rule of thumb is maintaining a two to three-inch layer of mulch.
There are multiple options when considering mulch. Single-ground hardwood is a coarser product, while double-ground hardwood is fine. These two products will be made from a blend of hardwood trees like oaks, maples, and hickory trees. NOTE: If using a hardwood blended mulch that has NOT been composted for at least six to eight months, use it only on the soil surface around trees, shrubs, and perennials. Avoid blending fresh wood mulch into the soil as an amendment, and avoid using it around annuals, as they have a shallower root system. Other options for organic mulching are pine bark, pine needles, pecan shells, and a new fun option, peach pits.
Inorganic Rock
The greatest advantage of rock is that it is low maintenance. Once the rock is in place, it will be there for years. Rock comes in all shapes and sizes, giving you endless choices for your landscape design. It can also help with soil erosion as it will stay in place on hillside/sloped yards. The disadvantages of rock are that it will retain heat and raise the ground temperature, leaving plants feeling like they are in a desert. Rock can also create an easier advantage for weed seeds to break through as they have larger spaces between one another. There is also no benefit for plant growth or soil health.
A landscaped bed using rock and mulch can be beneficial for holding the mulch in place on a sloped bed.
Samantha M. Brown, © 2023, Clemson Extension
When deciding which material works best for you, consider these few things. There is no right or wrong choice; pick your battles to beautify your home landscape. Or if you are like me, you can use both! For more information, see HGIC 1604, Mulch.
