Rubber mulch can be used around plants, but one may be better off using wood mulch. While the chemical residue in rubber mulch is trace enough to be safe for humans, it can still be harmful to plants. For instance, rubber mulch contains zinc, which can adversely affect soil quality and stymie plant growth if high enough levels are present. Additionally, rubber mulch, unlike wood mulch, is an inorganic material, and as such it won’t decompose at a normal rate. The benefit of this is that you won’t need to reapply mulch regularly in order to maintain your garden’s appeal, but at the same time, rubber mulch is incapable of providing the soil beneath it with the useful organic material it needs to help plants grow and thrive.
The benefits of rubber mulch for plants are pretty straightforward. It won’t wash away during rainstorms or other inclement weather thanks to its relatively high weight, leaving gardeners with less of a need to do cleanup after weather events that would likely displace wood mulch. Another key selling point of rubber mulch in gardens is that it won’t attract insects. From cockroaches to termites, bugs are a big concern for gardeners, whose plots and the plants within can be harmed immensely by plant-munching insects. Lastly, rubber mulch will last for up to ten years without risk of rot or displacement. Because of this, gardeners need not worry about upkeep of their rubber mulch, and are free to focus their attention on their plants.
On the flipside, rubber mulch has a much higher upfront cost than wood mulch, and bears the unmistakable appearance of an artificial plant bedding. Additionally, rubber mulch is highly flammable, and any exposure of your garden to open flame could ignite the entire plot. Using rubber mulch around plants won’t kill them, but one may be wise to use wood mulch instead, considering its natural benefits to the plants it surrounds.
Find more about the author: Kim Hart
