Buyer's Guide to Bark Mulch

Garden mulch plays many important roles in your garden including protecting the surface area from erosion, reducing the growth of weeds and maintaining an even soil temperature. Mulching that is done properly can damage or kill plants. This buyer's guide to bark mulch offers information and tips for this important product.

Bark Mulch Basics
Bark mulch can be made from either hardwood or softwood tree bark. Softwood bark, which comes from conifers, decomposes faster then hardwood bark. Another factor that affects the decomposition speed of bark mulch is the size of the pieces and the age of the bark. Smaller, finer pieces of mulch will rot faster then larger pieces and bark mulch from older softwood trees have a slower decaying time.

Bark mulch is sold in both bulk or bags. Bagged mulch is generally more expensive and is available at nurseries, big box stores and large superstores. Bulk mulch is sold loose in cubic yards.

The Benefits of Bark Mulch
There are many benefits to using bark mulch in your garden. These include:
*Reduce weed growth
*Prevent evaporation from water in the soil
*Maintains an even temperature
*Prevents erosion and soil splashing
*Improves the soil as the mulch decays
*Provides better water absorption and movement
*Makes your planting areas look more attractive

Types and Brands
Pine bark is excellent to use for controlling weeds. It is generally dark colored and looks very attractive around plants. It should be applied in a 2-3 inch layer. Pine bark is available in several sizes from tiny shreds to large nuggets. Large pieces of pine bark are light and wight and can be washed away with heavy rain.

Other types of bark mulch include cedar, hemlock and mixed barks.

Where to Find Bark Mulch Online
Amazon.com has many suppliers of bark mulch including pine, cedar and mixed blends. Examples of bark mulch offered from Amazon include the following:
*National Bark Sales offers a 20 lb. Bag of Ace Cedar Mulch which covers 2 cubic feet for $17.59
*US Mulch Ltd. offers a 34 lb. Bag of Natural Accents pine bark mulch that covers a 2 cubic foot area for $2.94

Northland Bark Mulch offers a Premium Mix that is made from 100% softwood bark from hemlock, spruce and fir trees and sells for $17.20 for 1-5 yards. They also offer Mountain Spruce bark mulch at $18.80 for 1-5 yards and Fresh Hemlock bark mulch for $22.50 for 1-5 yards. The company website is northlandbark.com.

How to Use Bark Mulch
Apply bark mulch evenly around your plants. Generally a 2-3 inch layer of mulch works well. Mulch should never be more then six inches deep because it can reduce the amount of air circulation of the soil. Never crowd the stems of your plants with excess mulch as it could cause the stems to rot.