Mulch? Which type is best? And is it only sold seasonally?

Question

I live in South Carolina, and we have a large yard with NO landscaping and no trees. I want to put some flower beds next to the house that contain shrubs only. The problem is that I'm not sure which kind of mulch to get, how deep it needs to be, and I'm having a problem finding it in stores. We're going to edge each bed with the concrete edger blocks. As for the mulch, I'd like long-lasting, insect repelling, reddish colored and very low maintenance. Don't want much do I? Any info you have would be appreciated. I am not a gardener by any stretch!

Answer 1

CYPRESS MULCH IS BETTER TO USE. IT KEEPS THE BUGS OUT. SAND FLEAS AND PALMETTO BUGS (GIANT ROACHES), AND THE SMALLER ROACHES IN THE GRASS LOVE THE OTHER TYPES. THEY DON'T LIKE THE CYPRESS SMELL. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET IT AT WAL-MART YR. ROUND.

Answer 2

I call the county and get free wood mulch by the "yard" It doesn't last more than a year or two but it is free. It is made out of trees that they had to chop down to build roads or in the way of power lines. Mulch helps cut the weeds and keep in the moisture. Some mulch looks better than others and some plants prefer an evergreen mulch for acidity. But my trees and daylilies thrive on this free mulch.

Answer 3

You should be able to find mulch of many types in stock in Garden centers and Lowe's and Home Depot in SC.

As far as installing the colorized mulch goes- I'd recommend not installing it next to your house, particularly where you are. Here's why- colored mulch is usually made of wood fiber. Termites eat wood. You are basically laying out a buffet for them- right next to your house!

If I were in your shoes, I'd think in terms of bark mulch or pine needles, if not decorative rock- maybe even red lava. Termites don't eat bark, needles, or rocks (and rocks last forever). At the very least, consider a buffer of rock next to your foundation to keep the termites from moving up into the structure of your home.

Typically, mulch goes 3-4" depth.

Answer 4

You can use pine bark nuggets but they turn gray over time. They also sell dyed wood chips in a variety of god awful colors including red. I use wood chips from a local tree service, free. I use it to mulch my gardens and paths (the line between grass, paths and gardens are often blurred around my place) with 3-4 inches. I think of it as composting in place because it breaks down into wonderful "stuff" to grow in. It needs to be topped up every now and then to replace the stuff that becomes the good stuff. RScott

Answer 5

My first problem with using bark is that is not very good at holding water. Bark being the trees outer coat means it serves to block movement of water. It contains waxes to repel water. Wood chips made from inner wood will absorb and retain moisture. So while bark creates a shield between the rain and the soil wood chips hold water shielding plant roots from temperature changes by keeping the soil cooler. I use mulch to retain soil moisture but that may not be your main concern.

My second problem is the fibers, especially softwood bark from fir or pine, are long and pointed! If you touch this with bare hands (or feet) it leaves you with 'porcupine' quilled hands. These are nearly invisible and hard to remove.

For use near a foundation I would consider nutshells, stone, or anything else that lets water through and meets your aesthetic preferences. Organics like shells breakdown very slowly. In your area pecan shell mulch would be most likely. It will be long lasting and shells keep their color.
Your local nursery may know of sources or look in your area for pecan orchards. In my area we have filbert (hazelnut) shells and I have not had to replenish in the 4 years since I placed them in the paths. I found them through my local nursery.

Here is a picture so you can see the color
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rustyrabbit/124350183/

Answer 6

MULCH IS MULCH YEAR AROUND HELPS WITH BOTH SUMMER AND WINTER SOME IS COLORED IS THE ONLY REAL DIFFERENCE IN IT
ABOUT 3" DEEP OVER THE AREA WHERE YOU PLANTS ARE I ALWAYS GO OUT AROUND 1" AROUND SINGLE PLANTS AND FLOWER BEDS I DO THE FULL THING
HOPE THIS HELPS

Answer 7

well I live in North philly and my dad set up a garden in our back yard.we grew lots of veggies and my lil sis planted flowers.My dad told me he used the natural dirt and added some top soil and mixed it.Since there are different kinds of dirt some plants wont grow in certain soil.You can look up online the different types like sandy,clay,etc.but it should tell you which plants will grow best in what soil