Which bark mulch is best

List of Partners vendors. The 9 Best Mulches of The future of your lawn starts here. By Katie Begley Katie Begley. Katie Begley is a product reviewer for The Spruce who specializes in lifestyle and parenting writing. As a mom of three, she's written about parenting and family life for At Ease Magazine, Legacy, and Monterey Bay Parent, where she was a monthly columnist. Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process.

Our Top Picks. Best Overall:. Free from any chemicals or dyes, this hardwood mulch is an environmentally-safe choice and will help pull your landscape together. Best Budget:. This mulch will not only look great, but it also prevents weeds helps retain moisture.

Plus, it's incredibly budget-friendly. Best for Landscaping:. Made of percent recycled rubber, this mulch alternative is ideal for playgrounds and swing sets and it's sustainable as well. Best for Vegetables:. This affordable pine straw will do wonders for your vegetable garden as it prevents weeds and allows water to pass through it. Best for Flower Beds:. Made with cow manure, alfalfa meal, and pure earthworm castings, this compost blend will help your flowers grow and blossom. Best Black Mulch:.

This shredded black mulch will not only give your yard a chic look, but it also locks in moisture and regulates soil temperature. Best for Lawn:. Scotts Topsoil is a mixture of organic soil and peat moss, which helps build strong roots and improve the condition of existing soil. Best for Weed Control:. Made From All Natural Cellulose Fibers, this cloth will act as a weed barrier and helps reduce erosion.

Plus, it's biodegradable. Best Biodegradable:. In This Article Expand. Our Picks. What to Look for. Why Trust The Spruce. View On Texasorganicsoil. View On Home Depot. Type: Organic Use: Weed prevention, moisture control. The 8 Best Garden Hoses of View On Maxwarehouse.

Type: Inorganic Use: Weed prevention, plant growth. The 7 Best Gardening Tools of Concentrated Bag. The 12 Best Gardening Gloves of View On Lowe's. View On Walmart. The 7 Best Weed Killers of The 8 Best Grass Seed of Two words of caution, however, before you add this type of mulch to your garden bed: Fresh manure burns plant roots, and dog, cat, and pig manure can harbor disease-causing organisms—avoid all of the above! Lava rock, crushed gravel or crusher dust, marble chips, and pea gravel will not break down, making them a popular option for walks and pathways, thanks to their one-time investment of cost and labor.

Plastic polyethylene film is impermeable, which means that water and other nutrients cannot pass through. While this quality makes it ideal as a short-term weed killer, plastic is not suitable for long-term use. Remove the plastic at the end of the growing season to keep it from deteriorating in the sunlight, and then replace it the following year.

Landscape fabric is a better choice for long-term use, as it suppresses weeds but also allows air and water to pass through; however, it is a more expensive material. Landscape fabric is best used with a layer of organic mulch, such as wood chips, on top. Rubber mulch—manufactured from recycled, pulverized tires—is inexpensive and highly durable, which makes it perfect for high-traffic areas, such as playgrounds.

Leave it out of your home landscaping projects, though; rubber mulch does not decompose, and some studies indicate that toxins found in the rubber can actually leach into the soil. Plus, mulch that is too deep can cause a buildup of excess moisture in the root zone, which can stress the plant and lead to root rot. Most professionals recommend limiting your layer of mulch to a depth of between two and four inches.

Disclosure: BobVila. You agree that BobVila. Today we explain the important role mulch plays in the health and success of your landscape and also take a closer look at 9 types of mulch for commercial landscapes. Here are more than a handful worth noting:. Choosing the right mulch for your commercial landscape can be a little overwhelming. Dying to learn more about how to protect your commercial landscape?

Check out our guide for commercial property managers and owners. Shredded Bark: One of the most used and most affordable forms of mulch, shredded hardwood bark knits together tightly. This byproduct from the lumber industry is easy to spread and slow to break down into the soil, making it a common choice for natural-looking pathways. So if you do have acid-loving plants in your landscape, fertilizer supplements may be required to keep them happy.

Wood Chips: This chunkier, more durable form of mulch is best used for playgrounds, paths and walkways. When used in the landscape, be mindful of the nitrogen deficiencies it can create in your soil as it decomposes due to its high carbon-to-nitrogen ratio.

Straw Pine Needles : Another mulch slow to break down, pine straw has a rust-colored hue that can give your landscape a soft, unique appearance compared to other traditional mulches.

It is also a good choice for providing protection around newly planted ornamentals. Shredded Bark: Like shredded hardwood, this mulch is easy to spread in landscapes and provides beneficial moisture retention.

This form of pine bark mulch breaks down much faster than mulch nuggets — conditioning the soil in the process. However, it also means they don't improve your soil over time. Take caution when using stone as a mulch because stones tend to get really hot in the sun.

Stones are often used in cactus and rock gardens. If you decide to use rocks and stones as a mulch in an area where plants won't be growing, such as under a deck, cover the soil first with sheer landscaping fabric. This will help prevent weeds from growing up through the rock. By Andrea Beck Updated April 22, Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team.

If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission. Save Pin FB More. Credit: Marty Baldwin. Related Items shredded bark on stone for mulch. Shredded Bark. Pine or Cedar Bark Chips. Stones and River Rock. Comments 5 Add Comment. View Comments. September 14, It breaks down eventually and becomes a garden soil additive.

A bag of cocoa appears to costs more but it cover more area than other types of mulch. June 19,