How can a person tell which one is best?
If the information about a plant calls for mulching with wood chips, does it make a difference if one uses cypress, eucalyptus or something else? How about the colored ones?
On a similar subject, do lava rocks and/or other (maybe heavier) rocks do anything to hold moisture for the plants they surround or are they just useful as weed barrier.?
thanks
Ana
Based on my experience, it takes 12.6 million years for the colored ones to weather to a natural looking color. If you like ugly, that's the stuff to buy.
Depends on what you are mulching. I'd probably be wary of eucalyptus, but cypress, white oak, cedar, teak, redwood are woods that are rot-resistant. Other wood chips will decompose faster and provide more nutrients for the plants being mulched. Inorganic mulches may be good for appearance, but perhaps better than no mulch at all. I use any kind wood chips available. My favorite mulch is mushroom compost (aged rotted horse manure)--stinks bad, plants love it.
Eucalyptus reportedly repells insects. That would be your first choice. Avoid cypress. The cutting of cypress for mulch is not beneficial to our wetland ecology.
Wood mulches are much better than rock mulch. They break down and leach nutrients into the soil. You have to replace the mulch every year or so but the old wood will decompose in the soil or in your pile.
Ed
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