Gardening and landscaping can be fun as a homeowner, but the responsibility of maintaining a yard can also be overwhelming. Unfortunately, people sometimes look to synthetic materials as shortcuts.
In the Addicted to Gardening Facebook group, a user posted about using rubber mulch in their garden and looking for advice.
“Thinking about switching to rubber mulch, any pros and cons??” they asked in the post.
Hundreds of commenters quickly weighed in and shared their opinions, with most people urging the poster to reconsider and use a natural material instead.
“Not in your garden. My neighbor did green rubber mulch 15 years ago. It looked bad, every time it rained it floated out into my yard! The people who bought the house got rid of it [immediately] and the other day I was still finding chunks in my lawn!” one user said.
“When the wood decomposes it enriches your soil. Rubber does not,” another commenter said.
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“Horrid idea, hot, stinking,” another user commented.
“[It] will release toxic chemicals over time. Just stick with a good quality wood mulch. It is much better for the environment,” one commenter said.
“No pros, all cons,” a user said succinctly.
Rubber mulch is a controversial product in the gardening community, and for good reason. If you don’t know any better, the synthetic mulch can seem like an easier option that rarely needs to be replaced. But if you want a healthy yard, it should always be avoided.
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It can burn in the sun and give off a bad smell, and cause health issues for humans, pets, and wildlife. It’s bad for the environment because it can leach toxins into the soil, offers no food for pollinators, and isn’t biodegradable.
If you’re set on using mulch, a natural material like wood is a much better option. But to really give your yard a boost, you can skip mulch completely and install native plants instead.
Going native encourages biodiversity, supports pollinators, and helps create a welcoming environment for wildlife. It also saves you time and money on lawn maintenance and lowers your water bills.
You can upgrade your yard by replacing your traditional grass or mulch with eco-friendly options like clover or buffalo grass that are low-maintenance. Native plants can even be a strong defense against invasive plants and species that may be present in your neighborhood.
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