Question - Cypress or Cedar Mulch

Which is better? Can't use our cocoa shell mulch in back yard due to pets. Opinions please?

The following is from
http://louisiana.sierraclub.org/honeyisland/cmbrochure.pdf

Myths About Cypress Mulch

“It’s insect resistant.”
There is no scientific evidence that cypress mulch is resistant to termites and other insects. What’s more, grade-A pine bark does not have live organic matter and so provides nothing in which insects can nest.

“It’s more durable.”
This may have been true about the byproducts of old-growth trees. Today, very young tender growth is the target. Mulch from this source is no more durable than pine bark, because it takes many years for cypress to gain its full strength.

“It’s more float resistant.”
People think that pine bark and other materials will float in heavy rains and cypress mulch won’t. If you use a solid base, neither will float away.

“It’s more aromatic and weed resistant.”

All mulches have aromatic compounds that resist weed-seed germination. Pine straw can suppress weeds for up to one year, but cypress mulch and others work only two or three months!


I used to use cypress mulch, because of it's 'no float' properties. However, growing up here, I noticed that while the oak trees that were tiny saplings 30 years ago are now towering strong trees, the cypress trees that were tiny 30 years ago are ... tiny. It turns out that while an oak may live hundreds of years, a cypress needs hundreds of years to mature. They can live THOUSANDS of years. So, it really seems silly to grind 'em up to mulch our gardens.

I use oak leaves from my own trees, with some supplemental bark mulch or chipped up oak branches (when available). So it floats, we all survive.

*sundry gets off her soapbox*

Cheri'

Wow Cheri - Thanks! Makes sense!

I use cedar mulch mainly because I like the initial odor and color.

The first year I had a garden, I used cypress mulch on one bed. It became such a thick mat as it settled that rain just ran off instead of penetrating. When I started to remove it the next spring, it came up in thick sheets larger than a dinner plate, almost impossible to break up.

Cheri',

I have a huge water oak on my back yard that's been shedding like crazy. I've been griping and picking the leaves OUT of my beds. Never thought about using the leaves as mulch. Do I need to shred them?

Zuluqueen, you don't need to, but you can.

Shredded they break down faster and improve the ground below faster. It looks better, because it doesn't look like oak leaves piled up in the bed. You use more of them, because they back down better shredded.

Whole, they last longer and you don't use as much. Eventually the whole leaves break down and improve the ground too. Lasting long might not be an issue, since you have a steady supply every year. I know it's not an issue for me!

Either way, they work, but they do float. If you want, you can put a layer of store bought mulch on top to make it look better.

If you don't use them for mulch, use them for compost. Good stuff, oak leaves.

Cheri'

And all this time I've been throwing them away! Money down the drain! How do you compost them? I've never had a compost pile. My back yard gets litte sun and I've read that you need it for composting. With our heat I would think direct sun could be an optional thing for a compost pile!

Mary Ann

I mulch using grass clippings all spring and summer. The grass builds up to keep the weeds down & moisture in with a thick bonded mat. Just look under it on a hot day to see moisture lingering. I also run the mower over the leaves as they fall & empty the bags in my beds as a barrior to the winter cold. All the grass & leaves break down to enrich the soil. I have huge beds & rarely have to weed.

There is good info on composting in this thread, Zuluqueen
http://davesgarden.com/t/394297/
Cheri'

This message was edited Wednesday, Aug 27th 7:22 PM