Best kind of mulch

[andy2019]

What's the best kind I should use for my garden (fruit trees and plants) please? I have cedar mulch at one store that costs around $7 for 2 cubic and one at home depot which is wood mulch that costs around $5 for 2 cubic

 

[Chuck]

There are a lot of different mulches. Some are hardwoods and others softwoods. Some are smaller ground and others big chunks. In most cases hardwood mulches are best and the smaller ground mulches are better than the large chunks. Large chunks like pine bark have a habit of floating away in a heavy rain and weeds find it a little easier to grow through. Cedar is an excellent mulch, although it is a softwood, especially the smaller ground. It also lasts longer before decomposing than hardwoods and much longer than any pine mulch. So, IMO, spend the extra $2 for the cedar.

 

[DirtMechanic]

The bark hardwood mulches are premium. Yes cedar is excellent, but I want a certain breakdown into compost that cedar resists, so I am not into the cedar camp for longer term applications of mulch.

 

[Chuck]

The bark hardwood mulches are premium. Yes cedar is excellent, but I want a certain breakdown into compost that cedar resists, so I am not into the cedar camp for longer term applications of mulch.

All of the commercial mulches that I know of are byproducts of the lumber industry. I have always heard and believed that the very best mulch is made from local native materials. The only place I know of to obtain this mulch is from your local power company or your own property. If you want a compost that breaks down quickly then I'd guess a shredded pine is probably the easiest to find.

 

[andy2019]

On Craig's list, there's an add about free tree mulch. Below is what they say. Should I proceed to contact them?

Free Tree mulch. 100% organic
NO ADDITIVES
good for stopping weeds, covering open land, dirt, etc

FREE Organic Tree Mulch

Free Tree mulch. 100% organic NO ADDITIVES good for stopping weeds, covering open land, dirt, etc FREE LOCAL DELIVERY MUST TAKE FULL LOAD. ABOUT 5-7 YARDS DUMP TRUCK SIZE. Eligible cities: La Habra,...

orangecounty.craigslist.org

 

[Chuck]

On Craig's list, there's an add about free tree mulch. Here's what they say

Free Tree mulch. 100% organic
NO ADDITIVES
good for stopping weeds, covering open land, dirt, etc

FREE Organic Tree Mulch

Free Tree mulch. 100% organic NO ADDITIVES good for stopping weeds, covering open land, dirt, etc FREE LOCAL DELIVERY MUST TAKE FULL LOAD. ABOUT 5-7 YARDS DUMP TRUCK SIZE. Eligible cities: La Habra,...

orangecounty.craigslist.org

Sounds like a good deal, BUT. Many times free stuff has problems. You don't really know for sure what this mulch really is. It may have thorns. It might even have nasties like poison ivy. You just don't know and you can't tell by looking. So, what do you do? About the thorns nothing, but if you let the stuff sit for a couple of months and heat up most if not all of the nasties will go away. If I were you I would take it all and ask for more.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Take it and pile it for a year