i have a client who is thinking about switching to rubber mulch, i have never used rubber mulch.
has anyone ever had success with these products together?

not seeing many great things about it.

I wouldn't. When you blow out the beds in autumn, you will end up with rubber on the lawn that will never decompose.

 

I have rubber mulch underneath my kids swing set. It is great for that. I also put fabric down under, its been about 2+ years without any real growth through it. As far as using it in a garden...I wouldn't really want to have to deal with that long term. Maybe if all the plants were fake too as a "set it and forget it'. But an active garden bed, I think it would be a PITA.

 

sorry, it would be a pita?

 

We have a client who switched to it 2 years ago. Every month I get an email from her complaining about the mulch being out of the beds. The guys barely use the blowers now on it and it still flys out.

If it’s a contained area like a playground I’m sure it’s fine. But in a bed…? Nope.

I have also heard it’s not good for plants.

 

You can still get a bed full of weeds in rubber mulch if you neglect it.

 

I wish this would go away. You’re buying toxic waste and spreading it all over your living environment.

Start a tire collection center in your yard and charge people to take their used tires. See how long you can stay open.

but chop it up, add more dye and call it mulch and you can sell and spread it everywhere. It off gasses, it smells in the sun, it’s not good for you, your soil, your plants etc. it should t even be an option.

 

I wish this would go away. You’re buying toxic waste and spreading it all over your living environment.

Start a tire collection center in your yard and charge people to take their used tires. See how long you can stay open.

but chop it up, add more dye and call it mulch and you can sell and spread it everywhere. It off gasses, it smells in the sun, it’s not good for you, your soil, your plants etc. it should t even be an option.

Beat me to it!

Right up there with flouridated water...what a great way to get rid of hazardous waste!

 

It's like littering - intentionally.

It doesn't break down and become part of the soil. It just mixes in with it.
You can't put tires in a landfill because it's "bad for the environment", but you can shred them and sprinkle them around your home. ???
Worst "recycling" idea ever.

 

You can't put tires in a landfill because it's "bad for the environment", but you can shred them and sprinkle them around your home. ???
Worst "recycling" idea ever.

Right, that's why every kid that ever swung on a swing made from an old tire is dead now due to toxic tire poisoning.

 

I use rubber mulch at my house

 

Now we know why the rhododendron died.

 

you can do better

 

The solution to pollution is dilution…
Nothing like spreading plastic or forever chemicals around the yard

I wonder how mulch your pet ducks have gobbled up.

ps
Maybe tear it all out, pave it over and paint it green?
Or whatever color you wish to have under the shrubs

 

I wonder how mulch your pet ducks have gobbled up.

None because they don't roam free around the yard. Since I'd be cleaning up duck **** everywhere constantly and the stray pieces of rubber mulch would be the least of my concerns.

ps
Maybe tear it all out, pave it over and paint it green?
Or whatever color you wish to have under the shrubs

Thank you for the helpful advice

 

If you see someone make a post on here asking "I have a customer looking for a bunch of rubber trees planted in his yard and don't know what the correct price to charge per tree is", then you'll know he was at my house.

 

Okay you lunatics. So as I am the only one here who has used this devils mulch, I have a ? for the people reaaaaly against it.

What do you think is a better way to use something that can never be recycled? I do NOT agree with it in a garden bed. But using it on a playground or something for 20 years to me is a bit better than sitting in the landfill 20 years early. They also take all the metal out of the tires and that gets recycled, so again better than the landfill.

I do not have an answer. Its not a good thing, BUT the real problem are tires, which ALL you people (and me) use more of than the regular person (trailers, mowers, extra trucks etc...), creating this problem. So whats your fix?🤔 In other words, who of you are developing a recyclable tire thats somewhat close in performance to the current standard?

 

Send them into space

 

LOL!

Why aren't YOU coming up with a solution to this "problem"?

Burning them would certainly be one solution, but "OMG!!!"

 

 

 

I don't think that's a rubber tree.

 

LOL!

Why aren't YOU coming up with a solution to this "problem"?

Burning them would certainly be one solution, but "OMG!!!"

Well, If I was smart enough to figure out this problem nobody else on earth has, I'd have done it already. But what I do know with certainty, crumbing it up and spreading it all over earth is most definitely not a viable answer. They've yet again duped the public into thinking this is somehow a good thing.


Would be much better putting in a landfill 20 years early, at least we know where it is if we ever do figure something out.

Mine's in the backyard, I can see it out the kitchen window. I'll let you know if it goes anywhere

I get what you are saying, I am not for this stuff in a larger sense. Honestly it was a lazy way to not have to mulch the playground twice a year for the next 10 years.

Edit: Human laziness has allowed for a lot of bad things if you think about it. Connivence is everything to a lot of people.

 

Red mulch is the devil incarnate.

 

Or, as I tell anyone who wants red mulch: mulch is supposed to be the color of your native soil - not the color of pickled sausage. (Yeah, yeah, I know about red dirt. They can have red mulch if they want it.)

 

We have 1 city "around" here that uses thousands of yards of red every season. Lawrence. All because KUs colors are blue and red.

 

I'm in the hate red mulch camp also. I did some red for a client last week that we used bags for due to the hill we had to get it up. Turned out more brown than the typical bulk red mulch, so it was much less obnoxious.

 

May as well use blue, or yellow. Would look just as good as red.

 

There are only two acceptable reasons to use red mulch: if your structure is that same color, or if your native soil is that same color.
Otherwise, mulch should NOT be the color of pickled sausage. It should be the color of your native soil.

 

I was gonna say that it's more of a Burnt Sienna than Pickled Sausage but then Google Images gave me this list for "Burnt Sienna"

And this is why I have trust issues

 

No. Just no. This isn't matter of your purse matching your shoes. LOL
If your home has red brick, red mulch is not the answer.

 

I agree that it’s ghastly. But, if one’s structure is that color, it’s a defensible position for the use of red mulch: not even close to being in good taste, but defensible.
I actually refuse to install it for anyone.

 

Mulch snobs....

 

I will not install a product that looks so un-natural and stains my hands and clothing; simple as that.

 

If you can't see what's "unnatural" about RED mulch, there's not much anyone can say that will 'splain it to you.

 

Tonight I'm going to go home and spray paint all my mulch purple just to make all your heads explode

 

Wood mulch offers several benefits for gardens and landscapes, including improved soil health, weed suppression, and moisture retention. It also helps regulate soil temperature, protects against erosion, and can improve the overall aesthetic of a garden.

• • Moisture Retention:
    Mulch helps to retain water in the soil, reducing the need for frequent watering. This is particularly beneficial in drier climates.

• Mulch Reduces Weeds. Lessen the amount of weeding work you have to do in your garden by putting down mulch. ...
• Mulch Encourages Earthworms. Organic mulch encourages earthworms to move in. ...
• Mulch Protects Against Temperature Changes. ...
• Mulch Retains Water. ...
• Mulch Adds Nutrients. ...
• Mulch Helps Prevent Erosion.