After four years of using wood-chip mulch, we are looking for an alternative that:

- is biodegradable
- un-painted
- pest free
- pet friendly

By now our wood-chip mulch is three inches deep in places (hard to keep the soil in planting areas well mixed), the pup likes to chew and swallow bits of the chips, and i dislike having the paint or dye the chips were treated with go into the soil. I've recently seen straw of some sort used, and would love to hear about it (as well as other options); what type is used, where its bought, how well it biodegrades, how tidy/messy, etc?).

Any ideas are welcome!

Realize that with straw, you might get some weed seeds in it. Not that it's too much of a problem, and heck, even the bagged dirt I have bought has things germinating in it. I haven't used it as a mulch on my flower gardens yet - only because I haven't thought about it. Also, straw is hollow - which might make it a very good mulch- but I only have experience using it to bed my farm animals!

I am currently using wood chips in some beds, and last falls leaves in others. Verdict is still out as to which I prefer.~Jan

I use wood chips myself.

I use pine bark (the dime size pieces). I don't know if you'd really call it being used as a mulch because that's what my soil is, pine bark and 10% sand. At my old place where I had in ground beds I did use it a mulch because I got tired of the big, chunky wood pieces with the dye.

now i'm very intrigued! thanks for the info's about wood-type chips! with tink about the dye - uck! and the pieces DH likes to put in are huuuuge, so its very hard to work the soil now...

so ... i'm assuming the smaller wood chips, even if 90% of the mix (as eventually they would be...) work well for the plants and retaining moisture? any you can get them at local nurseries? (i'm not sure i've ever noticed smaller, natural color chips available ... should i check closer?)

much appreciated info!

I prefer pine bark mulch. It is not shredded like the more common mulch. It is tiny pieces, not long shreds. I found the shredded stuff packed down, and was hard or water to get through. It is more expensive. Shredded hardwood might last 1 year, but the pine bark chips last 3-4 here. So, it is less expensive in the long run.

I tried straw once. Oh, my... The weeds were terrible!

Well, my preferred mulch is a very thick carpet of fall leaves simply because they are free. I go around the neighborhood in the fall and collect bags off the curb and spread them around the garden. You do have to go somewhat thick as you want the leaves to last till the next fall when the process is repeated. I never shred them, I just put them. Most of my daylilies are nestled in a thick carpet of leaves.

If I don't use leaves I use straw. I prefer the leaves because they are free and I have to pay for bales of straw. Don't use hay as it has more seeds but even cuttings of straw sometimes have a lot of the seed heads in them. You buy bales of straw at any farm supply store. The type of place that sells horse feed. My daylilies on my sideyard slope which is a steep hill are mulched in straw as the straw stays in place better on a slope whereas leaves would slide down the hill. I also just mulched all my tomato gardens in straw yesterday. Keeps the weeds away and keeps the soil off the tomato leaves. Plus I think straw looks good but then I realise others might not agree. It is very good for the soil as earthworms move in and help break it down to supply fertilizer for the garden.