When it comes to mulching around your expensive and well cared for plant beds, choose your mulch wisely!

Mulch is mulch, right? Well, not exactly. While each serves a purpose, there is a significant difference between bark mulch and wood mulch.

The primary difference is how long the mulch will last before breaking down. Wood breaks down quicker and is more susceptible to insect damage and discoloring than bark. Bark takes longer to breakdown and returns more nutrients to the soil as it turns into compost.

“Bark” Mulch – Made from raw bark, trimmed from logs by mills as a by-product of lumber production. “Bark” Mulch aids in color longevity. Mulch made from bark will maintain it color far longer than wood mulch. Bark shows consistent color all the way through. Aesthetically your plant beds will look fresher, longer.

Bark contains lignin which slowly releases carbon back into the natural environment.

Bark Mulch increases the level of phosphorus and potassium in soil. These macro-nutrients are important for the survival of plants.

Bark contains tannins. Tannins are found in large quantities in bark where they act as a barrier for micro-organisms like bacteria and fungi. Artillery fungus, also know as “shotgun” fungus seems to be much more severe now. Artillery fungus seems to prefer wood as opposed to bark. Much of the mulch that we use today is recycled wood – in the past, most mulch was bark.

“Wood” Mulch - Made primarily of wood fiber, brush and stumps from land clearing companies, and disposal companies.

The word “mulch” does not mean wood chips or shredded bark. “Mulch” is anything that covers the soil to retain moisture and prevent weeds. Suppliers would like you to think that wood = mulch because they’re often paid to take wood chips and brush from tree cutters and landscapers trying to avoid high landfill costs. If they can then sell it to you as mulch, they get paid twice.

Some producers are grinding up things like pallets and unwanted landscape brush consisting of diseased tree limbs and insect infested branches, and could potentially spread fatal tree and shrub diseases.

Often dyed to mimic bark mulch, wood mulches become quickly faded and end up looking gray or pink, as the dye washes out and the wood becomes faded from the sun. Comparable to how a stained house deck starts to fade.

Wood mulches starve plants. Wood is high in carbon. Carbon seeks out nitrogen to help it break down into soil, just like in a compost pile. Mulch your plants with wood and the wood will steal their food in its quest to become really nice dirt a few years from then.

While these mulches may be attractively priced, they can leave both you and your plant beds feeling cheated!