Like the plastic mulch we looked at on Page 2, stone mulch is an inorganic option, even though it is natural. Due to its ruggedness, stone mulch is particularly effective for landscaping with dogs.
Stone Mulch
- Appearance: Good, if used around trees, cacti and succulents; but stone mulch may not be aesthetically appropriate for vegetable or flower gardens.
- Insulating value in summer: Fair. Stone mulch tends to heat up, but it also retains much of that heat within itself.
- Insulating value in winter: Fair. Again, while stone mulch easily grows cold, at least it keeps much of that cold off your soil.
- Need to remove in spring: Yes
- Nourishment and aeration afforded to underlying soil by decomposition: None
- Lets water and oxygen move freely into soil: Yes
- Ease of application and maintenance: Good
Mulching With Partially Composted Leaves
- Appearance: Fair
- Insulating value in summer: Excellent
- Insulating value in winter: Excellent
- Need to remove in spring: Yes
- Nourishment and aeration afforded to underlying soil by decomposition: Excellent
- Lets water and oxygen move freely into soil: Fair (unless leaves are very finely shredded).
- Ease of application and maintenance: Fair
Straw and Hay Mulches
- Appearance: Straw brightens your area nicely; hay is less attractive, but provides a softer look (and feel!)
- Insulating value in summer: Excellent
- Insulating value in winter: Excellent
- Need to remove in spring: Yes
- Nourishment and aeration afforded to underlying soil by decomposition: Excellent
- Lets water and oxygen move freely into soil: Excellent
- Ease of application and maintenance: Fair
- Note: Straw is preferred over hay, because the latter tends to be riddled with weed seeds.
- Note: Straw is one of the best mulch choices for winter protection, due to its insulation potential. Being hollow, each strand of straw provides dead air space -- perhaps the #1 characteristic of an effective insulator.
