Red Cedar Mulch

Do any of my fellow gardeners use fine or large chunk Red Cedar Mulch??? I've been using it for about 4 years now in my perennial beds as well as around shrubs, trees & to cover the soil in freshly planted pots & containers.
This very attractive, decorative mulch also comes in the natural brownish color as well as blue, green, gold & black. I personally prefer the brilliant rust/terra cotta colored variety, usually referred to as Red Cedar Mulch. I also prefer the fine grade as opposed to the larger chunks as it decomposes quicker.
Any mulch helps keep the soil moist, keeps weeds down & feeds the soil as it decomposes in addition to making a bed look very attractive & "dressed". I prefer this look over bare soil.
I wouldn't use it so much in a vegetable garden, although you can & also the mulch should not come right up tight to the stems of plants or trees as it could cause rotting of stems and/or disease. I've had none of those problems as I bring the mulch to with-in about 1/2 inch of the stems.
I'm in Southern Ontario zone 6a/b (I have micro-climates with-in my gardens, so the zone can vary slightly as in any garden) & Red Cedar Mulch is widely available from Walmart to building centres to garden centres & varies in price for a very large bag from $3.89 at the best price to $6.99 at our Canadian Tire stores, which is way too much for it!! Normal price is in the $5.00 range
The first year that I started using it when it was relatively new & not seen too much, I had neighbours come & ask me what it was & comment on how terrific it looked. Since then, several of my neighbours have adopted the practise of using Red Cedar Mulch.
The mulch has to be freshened up every 5-6 weeks or so as it decomposes & looses it's bright color to a more sutle shade, but I feel it's well worth it. I use about 2" of mulch every spring, periodically through-out the summer & one last time in the fall.
I'm very, very pleased with the professional appearance that this mulch gives my gardens, shrubs & trees.
Would like to hear if any of you use this mulch or if it's as widely available where you live.

It is all I use,I have a place where I can get 2bobcat scoops for 40 dollars,LOve it, one load does,21/2 large beds,that would cost 60 or more when I was using bags.

Hi Rootdoctor......If anybody knows....the Doctor knows!! Great stuff isn't it & so pretty? You sure get a nice bargain on your's. I probably spend $25.00 to $30.00 on mulch all season as I have a townhouse, so I get off easier than many people would with larger properties. Thanks for the reply & Happy Gardening!!

SunshineSue, I used it this year for the first time but just around the shrubs and trees in the front yard. I didn't think I would like the rusty red color but my yard is very dark and shady due to a massive maple tree and it was a nice contrast as dark would not have shown up at all. I tried something new in the hosta bed this year and that was pinestraw mulch. I thought it was a bit expensive but it covered a fair bit of ground. I don't know how long it will last as this is my first year. In the flower and vegetables I use a product called Port Bay Gold or NutriBrew which is compost from breweries. I mix with soil when planting and then mulch around the plant with about an inch. It is 2.99 a 40 lb. bag. I like using it as it really conditions the soil and it is a clean waste product. I also use the ornamental grasses that I cut down in the spring. I cut them up into 6 inch pieces which is a little time consuming but I like the fact that I'm using something that would just get put in the compost and it is neat looking around the tomatoes - looks like straw.

Hi Trillium_girl.....You use some interesting mulch also & that's great to do on-the-spot composting by adding the cut-up grasses to the garden. I do that as well with flowers I might deadhead & brown leaves that I pick off plants. I just place this into the garden under the leaves of plants. Don't even know it's there, can't see it & it breaks down & feeds the soil. Of course, if anything is diseased or has mildew, it goes in the trash so as not to spead whatever the problem is. Have you ever thought of using white stone chips in your dark garden to lighten it up?? They'd look terrific.....at first, as they do get dirty after a while & in my experiance, are a pain to pick out of the flower bed when you want to get rid of them. They do look nice at first though. These are a stone mulch & they come in terra cotta color also.
Nice to hear what other folks are doing & to get some additional ideas. Thanks for responding & Happy Gardening!!!