Still, I would never use rubber mulch or any type of synthetic mulch in my garden. If organic mulching is only about using some materials to help eliminate weeds in the garden, improve soil nutrients, and aid soil water retention, it is easy to make a good case for using cypress mulch in a vegetable garden. Initially, as it should be expected from organic mulch, the soaked cypress allows some of its water to get to the roots of plants thereby nourishing the roots. Rubber mulch is not as effective as other organic mulch choices in controlling weeds. This is stored in the mulch and used for decomposition of the cypress chips. Cedar and cypress … It works as a barrier, keeping the ground water from evaporating too quickly. And there are several different kinds of mulch, each with its own set of pros and cons. This mulch is slightly more affordable than Ultra Nu-Straw and will perform up to par. Can You Plant A Vegetable Garden On A Slope? When it comes to water retention and release of the stored water to the soil, coconut husks are second to none. Help to help to retain soil moisture which is very important in the growth and health of crops. Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott, Ph.D., Extension Horticulturist and Associate Professor at Puyallup Research and Extension Center at Washington State University, in “The Myth of Rubberized Landscapes” has concluded the following: So, it appears I’m not the only one who thinks that the rubber mulch is very toxic for plants. The rubber mulch is appealing to some gardeners because it doesn’t rot, maintains very well the humidity in the soil, doesn’t attract insects, and requires less maintenance. They are best used on areas where the high nutrient content can be utilised best, such as the vegetable garden, and any remaining after the growth season can be dug in. Anna BrownAdded: June 29, 2018Updated: July 13, 2019. Besides that, I think it looks good and gives your garden a natural look. But it is not all well and good when it comes to using them in the garden. This makes it unsuitable for vegetable gardens as nitrogen is a vital nutrient in the production of vegetable protein. Black plastic is good for weed control and warming soils. Therefore, the myth that the pine straw mulch makes the soil acidic is busted. Some might even argue that the cons of using cypress mulch in a vegetable garden outweigh the advantages. Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. It does break down quickly and will need to be topped up on a regular basis. If you are buying the cedar shavings from a store, make sure the package clearly states it’s 100% natural. Like cypress mulch, it decomposes slowly which makes it great for perennial vegetables. A 3- to 4-inch layer of bark mulch works well for vegetable … After a while, the ability to regulate water in the soil is canceled out by the tendency of the cypress to soak up a high amount of water. Applying the compost as mulch will offer a favorable habitat both for the plants, but also for the growth of the weeds. By covering the ground with enough mulch, the amount of light reaching the weeds on the surface is drastically reduced invariably inhibiting their growth. Cypress mulch is a common mulch used in gardens. I don’t share the same opinion and I truly think that compost should be solely used combined with the soil and not placed over the surface of the ground with the purpose of stopping weeds from growing. It’s again 100% organic, it’s slowly decomposing, it doesn’t wash away easily, maintains the humidity in the soil for a long time and it stops the weeds from invading your beloved garden. Another plus is that evaporation of soil moisture is reduced to a large extent by the wet cypress. Many other biologists confirmed this fact. Thus far, it would be easy to conclude that cypress mulch is very good for your vegetable garden. As well as drastically cutting down on the time spent on weeding by depriving weeds of the sunlight needed for growth, mulching a garden also: This invariably leads to an increase in the number of bacteria, fungi, and insects that are helpful to the soil. Mulches help soil retain moisture in summer, rain to penetrate the soil in winter, prevent weeds from growing and protect the roots of plants in winter. The pine bark mini-nuggets mulch is fairly cheap, but unlike the pine straw mulch which can cover a bigger ground surface with less mulch, you might need to purchase a larger amount of this mulch if you have a big garden. The great advantage of cedar mulch is that not only it’s going to keep the moisture in the soil and protect your plants from nasty weeds, but the strong smell of cedar wood will also repel the bugs and keep the insects away from your garden. The most common cypress mulch is in the form of wood chips that take a comparatively longer time to decompose. While your plastic mulches are no good for delivering nutrients, they can be a real benefit to heat-loving tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant. Mulch in vegetable gardens is strictly an individual choice. A good mulch conserves water up to 50%, Only the best mulch feeds the soil – while the mulch breaks down it is usually feeding the soil, which then feeds the plants. “Cypress” is a common name for several coniferous trees in the family of Cupressaceae that grow on wet, swampy, and seasonally inundated soil in several areas of the United States (mainly Florida and Louisiana). Luckily for you, I made a list of the best mulch types for your veggies. Leaves are a highly recommended vegetable gardening mulch. This mulch type is just as effective in gardening as the mulch made from pine straws or pine bark. Mulch is good for any type of garden. Category: Weed Control garden mulch vegetables weeds. I’ll start with my favorite mulches and which I consider being the best mulch for vegetable gardens. White plastic is good for hot climates where you want to stop weeds from growing but not heat up the soil. The roots function as natural filtration systems removing pollutants from the water. Pasture hay needs to be weathered before using as mulch, even the seed from good quality grasses are not desirable in the veggie garden and if left to germinate will turn your garden into a weedy nightmare. I think the pine bark mini-nuggets is also one of the best mulch types for containers. It can be used on many vegetables including cucumbers and squash. nutans) and bald cypress trees (Taxodium distichum). But these can easily be controlled with the appropriate organic insecticides. Lucerne mulch and pea straw break down fairly quickly but that's not a bad thing because they help to feed soil micro-organisms and worms, creating healthy soil. This makes them a great choice if you don’t want to waste the limited water available for watering your garden. Mulches help control weeds, prevent disease, conserve moisture, maintain consistent soil temperatures, enrich the soil and make the garden look good. It is primarily a decorative mulch best used in flower beds and landscaped areas. Also, the lack of any smell and the smooth texture makes it excellent for indoor gardening. Adding mulch for vegetable plants isn’t necessary, but it may be the key to larger fruits and vegetables and easy care beds. As far as rubber mulch goes it is not ideal, in all places, that is true. With more beneficial organisms, harmful insects and organisms are kept at bay. To reduce blowing of dry leaves, allow to decompose partially. On the other hand, byproducts of organic sources such as trees, grass, nutshells, straw, etc., are all classified under organic mulch. ---Muriel in Montgomery County, PA A. I think you have perfectly described the … This destroys eco-systems, so I would steer clear of cypress for the future of our wildlife. Wood bark or shredded hardwood mulch isn't generally recommended for vegetable gardens because it breaks down slowly as compared to other appropriate mulches like straw, grass clippings or newspaper. What do you think? Thus far, it would be easy to conclude that cypress mulch is very good for your vegetable garden. As well as moisture retention and protecting the garden from the menace of nasty weeds, it has a strong smell that is excellent at repelling insects and bugs from the garden. Some of the mulches may look good and can be great for landscaping but are not all suitable to be used for vegetable gardens. For the records, weeds alone are capable of destroying your garden if they are not handled properly. We don’t mulch them but rather just rake them onto the beds. The Cypress mulch is made from shredded pond cypress trees and bald cypress trees. The mulch made from pine needles and the pine bark are my two favorite choices in terms of mulches. The rubber mulch is basically made just from tires chopped into small pieces. Leaves will decompose fairly quickly, are usually easy to obtain, attractive as a mulch, and will improve the soil once decomposed. The cedar wood originates from different trees known as “cedars” that grow in various parts of the world. When organic mulch is applied, the breakdown leads to the release of chemicals some of which ultimately. It is easy to fall in love with the brown color that blends perfectly with the soil. Is cypress mulch good for vegetable gardens? Probably, if you apply a very thick layer of compost over the surface of the soil, it will keep the weeds away for a short time. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Adapting this plan for building garden soil by using a wood mulch — such as wood chips, sawdust or other woody residues — is a strategy that promises huge, long-term returns. Q. The darn chipmunks and squirrels use them to line their nests! Keeping your soil in good condition benefits all of your plants, from your vegetable garden to your largest trees. Required fields are marked *. This mulch type is very often used for kids playgrounds and landscaping projects, but there are even people that use the rubber mulch in their vegetable gardens. This makes them perfect only for garden with perennial crops since you don’t have to change the mulch for new ones yearly. 8) Plastic. Repels certain insects. Using cypress as mulch for your garden has benefits and disadvantages. It is also the best mulch to use for plants in pots and containers. Mulching is generally used to save water, suppress weeds and improve the soil around plants but it also gives your garden a neat, tidy appearance and can reduce the amount of time spent on tasks such as watering and weeding. Cypress mulch is any mulch made from the wood of bald cypress or pond cypress trees. Cypress Mulch: The Good, The Bad, and The Alternative. Deciding the best mulch for vegetable gardens can be tricky when you don’t know much about the topic. Cypress mulch helps to prevent weeds around vegetables, but it does not do well with water regulation in the long run. In fact, they even affirm that the “soil tends to become less acidic under pine than under eucalypts”. Some might even argue that the cons of using cypress mulch in a vegetable garden outweigh the advantages. You might be wondering, “Can cypress mulch be used in vegetable gardens?” Yes, you could use it if you really wanted to. For gardeners, the proliferation of weeds and how to control them are just two of the major challenges they’ll have to deal with. Coconut husk allows good air flow, keeps the weeds out, doesn’t wash away when you water your plants and contains absolutely no pesticides and no chemicals. As you prepare to start your garden, some challenges ahead might impact greatly on the expected harvest. As well as the fact that its water retention ability is not as good as other organic materials, it’s not an environmentally-friendly choice for mulching. The much-vaunted water retention properties are lost. This type of mulch stimulates growth and insulates roots from weather extremes. Cypress mulch is another organic mulch that can be used in your vegetable garden without any nocive effects for your plants. Covering it with mulch helps keep the moisture from evaporating, and blocks the sun’s rays, keeping the soil damp and cool. I find more benefit than detriment with the addition of mulch around my plants to keep in moisture and soil heat, and prevent weeds, since I abhor weeding. Apparently, it looks like the rubber mulch can offer all the benefits of the organic mulch. This is because the benefits derived from the decomposition of organic mulch can’t be gotten with cypress that takes a long time to decompose. It is, however, ideal for driveways, walkways, and natural areas. But it is not all well and good when it comes to using them in the garden. To be on the safe side, I would not use their mulch on your vegetable … If you don’t like the hay-look of the mulch made from pine straw, then you will probably adore the appearance of this mulch. Pea straw mulch is ideal for roses, flowers, vegetable gardens, trees, shrubs and fruit trees. And, a well-mulched garden can produce more vegetables than an unmulched garden due to its ability to reduce foliage and disease. The good news is that the smell should dissipate fairly quickly if the mulch is in the hot baking sun. But if you intend to grow the crops organically, it’s best to give painted cypress a wide berth. This leads to the indiscriminate cutting down of cypress trees to feed that demand for inexpensive mulch. We make mulch by recycling wood wastes and we also protect the environment. You can find this mulch for free in the pine forests, or you can simply buy it from Amazon. Mulch is used for flower beds, trees, gardens, leveled ground, roses, etc.