Options in Organic Mulching Material

Organic mulch is an excellent choice for controlling weeds and moisture levels in your garden and around the landscape of your property. Mulch has many benefits and also includes reducing erosion, keeps fruits and vegetables clean, maintains a cool soil temperature and looks attractive under the plants. There are many options ranging from corncobs, to newspapers!

Bark is one choice for organic mulch. Commercial packages of bark can be purchased and most garden centers and home improvement store. Bark is sold as chips, nuggets or chunks. Bark is slow to decompose and may last a few seasons. Bark is best used as mulch around trees, shrubs, roses and in your perennial garden.

Cocoa-bean hulls make great mulching materials. They are a by-product of chocolate production. Cocoa-bean hulls are easy to handle, and a nice brown color. They even smell like chocolate for the first few days after you place them in your garden! They are one of the more expensive choices for organic mulch and may only last one season. The upside is they look very attractive; smell nice and you can get by with a 1-2 inch deep cover. Cocoa-bean hulls make great mulch for your annuals, perennials and roses.

Corncobs are a great choice for organic mulch as well. You can find them easily at any farm seed supply. Corncobs are very weed free and darken into an attractive brown color. They tend to decompose slowly and are a great choice for around your trees, shrubs and even in your raspberry patch.

Grass clippings can also be used for mulch. You will want to let them dry for one day before placing them in the garden to prevent matting. Use clippings only from a yard that is free of pesticides or herbicides. You will also not want to use clippings from a lawn that is full of weeds. Placing the clippings from a weedy yard will only introduce those weeds to your garden! Grass clippings decompose very quickly so they are best suited for a vegetable garden or annual flower garden.

Leaves are another great organic mulch option. First you will want to shred and compost the leaves to prevent a dense, hard shell from forming over your garden. Composted or shredded leaves are a great option for your vegetable garden and anywhere else. They will degenerate quickly, but will enrich the soil at the same time.

Sawdust from untreated lumber can be used as a mulch as well. You may want to allow the sawdust to age for a year so that the it has had plenty of time to dry out. If you place fresh sawdust in your garden, apply only an inch thick layer to prevent the sawdust from clumping and caking together.

Straw is an excellent and very common choice for organic mulch. Straw is generally weed free and plentiful in the farm community. Wheat, oat and soybean straw will make an excellent cover over your garden. Straw is best used in vegetable and annual gardens. You will want to be careful not to place it by the house or around shrubs; mice love to make their winter homes in straw!

The best thing about organic mulch is that you never have to remove it. It will naturally decompose into your soil and add nutrients for the plant. Most organic mulches should be 2-4 inches deep to successfully control weeds and moisture.