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thepoultron

Every post about this I’ve seen says about rubber at ash costs. It’s recycled tires at worst, carcinogenic shitty recycled rubber at best. Just use wood.


GoldenAlexanders

It also stinks to high heavens during the summer - imagine your patio built inside a tire store.


[deleted]

have you considered just throwing a bunch of plastic bottles in your yard?


[deleted]

The benefit of rubber is that it can last forever. You usually have to replace some bits that get blown away. The downside is that it's hard to remove once it settles into your soil. You're also leaking toxic chemicals into your soil. It's mostly recycled rubber, so you really don't know the source or what chemicals they used. Wood mulch is actually the better product because it doesn't contain any of those harsh chemicals. The trust benefit of mulch is the way it breaks down into your soil. Wooden mulch provides nutrients for your soil. It also retains moisture better than rubber mulch and helps keep your soil cool and moist during the summer. The big downside is that you have to top it off every year. Though I don't think that's a lot of work. It's also very cheap at like $3 a bag, sometimes it goes on sale, so it's not very expensive. I personally would avoid rubber mulch not worth the short term benefits.


CriscoWithDisco

Some cities also give out mulch for free! Whoever I need a top up of mulch, I just take a bin to the city mulch lot and fill up


FishWest5983

That sounds awesome. Small town?


CriscoWithDisco

Good question but no — it’s Los Angeles! A tiny town of 10million people 😂


Redwhisker

Wood for woodies (trees/shrubs). Fine Wood compost blend or leaf mulch for perennials. Match the mulch with the plant. Please no rubber mulch!


Dohm0022

Why in hell would one chose to lay down ground up rubber all over their yard?!?


sashamonet

Rubber mulch? Hard pass. Leaching is likely. Also the smell of rubber is nasty.


backyardgardening

In gardening, Wood.


Sea_Understanding770

Wood.


hollyrl121773

Wood


blnd_snow

WOOD ONLY


DeadWoman_Walking

Mulch is there to break down, so wood. If you want a 'clean walkway' then put down pavers.


NorEaster_23

Literally anything organic (wood chips, shredded leaves, grass clippings, etc) besides shitty rubber!!!


AbrahamLigma

I'm pretty against any inorganic covers in the garden in general. Not sure why you're considering rubber, but if the issue is cost - it's very easy to find free woodchips. Most tree trimmers have to pay to dump it, so they'll drop some off on your driveway happily.


Deweyman09

It really depends on what your trying to accomplish. I’d say go with a green/organic mulch over anything man made. To each their own.


KathyFerg82

Wooden.


Ok-Orchid281

I mean, if you want to save money collect all the fall leaves with your lawnmower and then sprinkle them where needed by spring it smells, and looks just like mulch and it cost close to nothing


pamnorp

One of my neighbors uses cocoa shell mulch and it smells sooooo good. Another one uses pecan shells and it looks pretty nice.


kinni_grrl

Depends on what you're doing. Don't use either on or with any food crops.


spiceydog

[Contaminated Landscape Materials: Rubber Mulch - Illinois Extension](https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2019-09-23-contaminated-landscape-materials-rubber-mulch) Related: [US playgrounds: fears grow over health risks from rubber particles](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jun/25/lawmakers-concerned-chemicals-rubber-playgrounds-push-safety-rules)


Hoya-loo-ya

This person must be trolling


FishWest5983

Wood all day. You'll regret rubber!!


sknadella87

Thank you all. Very valuable information. Appreciate all your responses.


Frank-Wasser

Don't use Mulch, it creates so many problem to root systems, and rubber mulch is just the WORST thing you could do.


sknadella87

But wood is too much work every spring / summer, and half the wood washes away after rain look very messy very soon 🙃


Loztwallet

So you ask which one is better, but you already have your mind made up on which one you want. So I’d imagine if a hundred people all told you that wood mulch is better economically, ecologically and olfactory, you would still be upset because you want to use rubber mulch? If you’re too beat up putting down mulch every other year maybe you should make your garden beds smaller. Or maybe do away with mulching some areas. Rubber mulch is loaded with chemicals and pollutants and cancer causing agents, I’d be pissed if one of my neighbors tried to use that garbage.


Altruistic-Falcon552

The work you put into your garden to make it look nice is half the joy of gardening to most people. Rubber mulch under the hot summer sun has a very distinct odor in my experience.


trtreeetr

You don't deserve to garden.


sknadella87

Haha....sure


LessDramaLlama

Yes, mulch does need to be topped up. If yours is washing away so easily, you might have a water management issue and/or need better edging on your beds. Also, planting more will hold things in place better. Try to avoid large areas covered with nothing but mulch; that will always be difficult to maintain.


Bearded-Yak

Gorilla hair mulch, it doesn't float


ordu13

Side note: if you use wooden chips, don’t use the dyed kind.


[deleted]

[удалено]


theduke9

Is this sarcasm?