Pine Vs Hardwood Mulch

You may need to amend soil to counteract this if your plants have a strong preference.

Pine vs hardwood mulch.

If budget is an important consideration then pine straw is a great choice. However they do biodegrade more quickly and therefore need to be replenished more frequently which offsets. Despite the name hardwood mulches actually decompose faster in the landscape than cedar or pine bark mulch owing to a higher cellulose content. Pine bark and hardwood mulches make up just two.

I even use sifted pine bark mulch to get pieces around 1 8 to 1 4 to mix into bonsai soil with small river rock turface. It breaks down quicker than pine straw so it seems to not last as long. On a positive note properly manufactured hardwood mulch releases alkaline benefits to soil as it decomposes raising the ph level a bit. Nonetheless this price benefit is noticeable only in the short term.

Pine needles are acidic. It also comes in many sizes from shredded to large nuggets. Like pine straw wood mulch insulates soil during cold temps and cools it during the summer heat. Believe me i know first hand.

Pine mulch breaks down reasonably fast improving the organic content of the soil. Pine bark mulch is a popular variety that is usually less expensive than other mulches yet still provides the benefits of moisture retention soil conditioning and weed prevention. Pine needles aka pine straw hardwood mulch is alkaline. So your mulch is going to breakdown faster than hardwood.

Well pine wood is softwood. Hardwood mulches are derived from the shredded or chipped bark and heartwood of trees including oak poplar and maple. Hardwood mulch is available at lowe s home depot so i have used it but pine bark is the most plentiful. Hardwood mulch decomposes more slowly so it may not require two applications each year.

Pine needles are less expensive and go further. Last year i took a job working for another company when i thought i was going to sell my business. Hardwood mulch comes in a wide array of varieties and colors from hardwood to pine to cedar to cypress and then from warm red tones to rich browns to the deepest black. Mulch vs pine straw.

Mulch performs a key role in an attractive healthy garden or landscape but the array of choices can prove daunting. Hardwood mulch is often made of oak but may be compiled of a mixture of hardwoods.