How important is the type of landscape mulch you use? While many people don’t really think about where their mulch comes from, it can make all the difference. The last thing you want is to bring home mulch that is full of toxin, hazardous chemicals, fungal spores, woos dust, or construction debris.
Unfortunately, using the wrong type of mulch can damage your plants, while the right type of mulch can improve the health of your soil and plants.
True, it is easy enough to just go to a big box store and pick up some bags of mulch, but in the long run, it’s definitely not worth it. Remember, not all much is created equal.
Reliable Peat is proud to offer our customers naturally sourced mulches. Safe for children, pets, and the environment.
The Mulch & Soil Council answers the question, Is it safe to use mulch on my vegetable garden?
It is always helpful to mulch garden beds to inhibit weeds, retain moisture, moderate soil temperatures, and prevent erosion. Mulches made from wood fiber may be sourced in one of three categories:
1. Natural Forest Products: representing virgin wood materials derived as a byproduct of timber harvests and untreated mill operations.
2. Reprocessed/Recycled Wood Products: wood sourced from grinding fabricated consumer or industrial products. Sources may include wood from pallets, construction and/or demolition materials that have not been treated with preservatives, stain or paint; contain no materials whose original manufacturer recommends against grinding or mulching; and are not contaminated with any hazardous or other regulated substances.
3. Mulch Blends: bark, wood products, or reprocessed wood products containing more than one genus or a mix of forest products and/or reprocessed wood that have been mechanically screened and/or shredded. If reprocessed wood products are used in any portion of a blend, such use must be indicated on the product ingredient label.
The source of product ingredients should be displayed on the product packaging and both natural and properly reprocessed wood mulch, or mulch blends, should be suitable for use in a vegetable garden.
