Why You May Want To Reconsider Using Wood Bark Instead Of Mulch In Your Garden

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There are plenty of good reasons to mulch your garden and flower beds, including weed suppression and soil moisture retention. Wood bark has long been used as a mulch material to accomplish those goals. However, there are a number of reasons why you may want to reconsider using wood bark instead of mulch in your garden. This is because while wood bark offers a variety of benefits, it comes with just as many — or more — potential problems.

Wood bark is popular in many areas because in addition to performing the basic tasks required of mulch material, it is also cheaper than many alternatives and is relatively long-lasting. However, while the wood bark itself is cheap, the cost to your garden can be high. Wood bark can deprive plants of the nitrogen they need to survive and thrive. This happens as the bark goes through the decomposition process, causing the bacteria that forms to suck nitrogen from the soil. Yellowing leaves are a sign your plants may be being robbed of nitrogen from wood bark mulch.

Another issue with wood bark is it attracts unwanted insects. Various ants, as well as termites, are drawn to wood bark. This can be particularly bad if you are using wood bark to mulch beds near your house, as it can serve as an invitation for termites and ants to move in. Furthermore, wood bark is prone to fungus and mold. A more serious issue is wood alcohol, which occurs when wood mulch stays wet too long and turns sour, leaching toxins into the soil.

While wood bark can be effectively used as mulch, if used improperly, it is a mulching mistake that can ruin your garden. Additionally, given that using wood bark means you have to often refresh mulch in your garden, the initial savings dwindles over time. However, there are a number of options you can use instead of wood bark mulch, to gain the benefits of mulching without the potential problems of wood bark.

Many gardeners have turned to shell, gravel, or rock as mulch alternatives. Each of these is essentially a permanent mulch solution, as they don't break down. At times, this can be a bit of a drawback, as you will need to remove all or part of it in order to replant the bed. The other downside to rock and gravel is they don't infuse the soil with nutrients. However, they don't rob it of nitrogen, either, and do suppress weeds, help moderate soil temperatures, and prevent moisture loss. Additionally, there is a wide variety of ornamental gravel and rock, such as the Royal Imports River Rock Pebbles, which can be used to customize the look of your bed.

You can also use ground cover plants to suppress weeds instead of mulch. The advantage of utilizing ground cover is it not only keeps weeds under control, but also increases the biodiversity of your yard, attracting beneficial insects. Ground cover can also be used to add texture and color to your lawn and garden. About the only drawback to utilizing ground cover instead of mulch is it does require some maintenance and upkeep. However, if you don't mind spending the time, it is a great way to get the benefits of mulch without the potential problems.