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Rubber mulch’s pros and cons

Jessica Damiano | Garden Detective

April 17, 2008

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Your discussions about mulch have been very informative. My question is in regards to the up-and-coming popularity of nonorganic rubber mulches. What are the pluses and minuses to using such a product?

Warren Smith, Miller Place

That's a great question, Warren. (My mother always warned me that whenever someone said "that's a great question," it usually meant they didn't know the answer. Apparently, she was right.)

On the surface, using rubber mulch products would seem to be ecologically correct, conserving trees and recycling rubber things, such as old tires, that would otherwise end up in landfills. I think they're a great addition to playgrounds, minimizing bumps and bruises. But should they be used in the garden? It's certainly tempting, as they don't break down and don't need to be replaced often. Spend more once, and you won't have to worry about it for several years. But your plants might not be as happy as your wallet.

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A few years ago, the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture conducted a study on rubber mulches that showed they leached zinc, albeit in small amounts, into the soil. Here on Long Island, where most of the soil is naturally acidic, that could pose a big problem, killing your plants.

So, to answer your question, the pluses: Rubber mulch doesn't need to be replaced as often as organic mulch, and it doesn't attract insects and rodents. The minuses: Rubber is more expensive at the onset; it contains chemicals that could leech into the water table; it might contain harmful metal shards from its previous incarnation; and it can kill your plants. Maybe I do know the answer after all.

I read your article regarding mulch. May I ask what neighborhood you live in? $19 a cubic yard - maybe you live in Arkansas?

Camille Izzo, Merrick

Thanks for the chuckle, Camille. Last I checked I was on Long Island.

I called several places in Nassau and Suffolk, and $19 to $20 was pretty much the going rate. Keep in mind, this doesn't include delivery or application. Just the mulch. Landscapers typically charge at least twice that, but they're doing the work.

When is the right time to move a hydrangea bush?

Larry Kenngott, Bay Shore

Ideally in the fall, but early spring is acceptable, too. To make the transition easiest on the plant and give it the best shot at establishment in its new spot, be sure to dig a hole that's large enough to include the whole root system.

I read your recent article about overwintering a Mandevilla plant. I just bought one at Costco for $25. I've spent nearly two hours trying to find out whether it is toxic to cats (I have three Ragdoll cats), and I can't seem to find anything conclusive. Perhaps you know?

Jeff Aaron, East Meadow

Although Mandevilla will cause mild stomach upset upon ingestion, so will just about any other plant, says Dr. Leigh Gass at the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center in Illinois. The good news: He says it's not considered poisonous to cats.

TIP FROM JESSICA: It's time to apply pre-emergent crabgrass control. In order to be effective, this needs to be done before the lilacs bloom.