[Bonanza]

Originally Posted by CraigP

We are new to the villages and live south. Like most, our house was surrounded with what I believe is pine needle mulch(?). I guess is is what most new homes come with from the builder. We have been told by pest people that this is a haven for certain types of roaches and that we are much better off with rock, other types of mulch (including rubber). Do other agree? What have people had the most success with as far as an alternative to what we have and who would be a good vendor to provide it.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Craig

Yes, the developer only puts in pine needles and they glorify it by calling it "pine straw." It is cheaper than any other type of mulch, and I even hesitate to call it mulch because it is so airy and doesn't provide protection from the heat/sun or cold. My personal opinion is that it is sloppy looking and does nothing to enhance anyone's landscaping. It also has to be spread more often because it disintegrates quickly.

The best mulch you could possibly use is cypress followed by melaleuca but they are difficult to find in this area. The great thing about cypress is that in a heavy rain, it does not float away; it stays in place. Pine nuggets and/or bark are also good choices mulch.

Stones and rubber add nothing to our sandy and clay "soil" (I hesitate to use that word!), and while stones can look nice and many homes have them, you run the risk of possibly frying your plants and shrubs. After some years the stones sink and become embedded in the dirt and you either have to add to them or remove them and start all over. Rubber is probably the worst thing you could use because it floats away in the rain and becomes a mess. When rubber mulch becomes embedded in your grass . . . forget it!

You will get opinions from others mentioning the benefits of stones and rubber, but the fact of the matter is they may look good, but that is the extent of it; there is no benefit. Neither stones nor rubber are eco friendly and are not mulch!