A few types of bark mulch are:
- Spruce bark mulch
- Pine bark mulch
- Cedar bark mulch
- hemlock bark mulch
Bark mulch can be dyed different colors, which has inspired this discussion about the different types of bark mulch, based on color. In terms of longevity, cedar bark mulch is an excellent choice (but you'll pay for that longevity when you buy it), while pine bark mulch tends to break down relatively quickly.
Besides bark mulches, the following types of mulches are widely used:
- pine needle and leaf mulches (for free!)
- hay or straw mulches
- crushed stone mulches
- wood chips
- black plastic sheets or other synthetic mulches
Among natural types of mulches, the bark mulches and the crushed stone mulches are perhaps the most attractive.
For a breakdown of the pros and cons of bark mulches and other types of mulches, please consult "Garden Mulch."
An advantage of having wooded acreage and owning a wood chipper is that you can use the wood chipper to make your own wood-chip mulch. After chipping up wood to be used as a mulch, people usually compost the chips first. A word of warning, however....
According to the UMass Extension service, wood-chips destined to be used as mulch should not be piled up higher than 10 feet in the compost bin. Exceeding that height can cause the pH of your mulch to become overly acidic -- perhaps to the point even of damaging plants that come in contact with it.
