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Mulch 101

News: What can you do to make sure your mulch is sustainable?

March 24, 2008

If you've read Michael Behar's "Mulch Madness," you already know that the sale of cypress mulch is threatening to destroy Louisiana's best defense against hurricanes and one of the country's most diverse ecosystems. And once destroyed, Louisiana's cypress will never return.

So what can you to help? Wherever you live, making sustainable choices in your own garden is a great first step.

1) The first question to consider when planning to mulch your garden is whether you need to buy mulch at all. One of the biggest myths about cypress mulch is that it is especially rot resistant. In fact, the young trees that are being harvested are just as susceptible to rot as other species. So instead of buying mulch, take a lesson from Mother Nature, and consider using fallen leaves or pine needles in place of commercial mulch.

2) If you must buy bagged mulch, question your supplier closely to make sure you are not buying Louisiana cypress mulch or any other mulch that is not sustainably harvested. A good alternative to cypress is pine, which has many of the same properties but is far more abundant and harvested as a byproduct of the pine lumber industry.

3) Wal-Mart, Lowe's, and Home Depot are the largest commercial sellers of mulch. Wal-Mart has already agreed not to sell Louisiana cypress mulch, Lowe's has a moratorium on cypress harvested from certain parts of Louisiana, and Home Depot is still crafting its policy, but all three can take steps to ensure that whatever mulch they do sell is sustainably harvested.

Learn More and Take Action: To read more about local and national organizations working together to fight cypress mulching and Louisiana restoration projects, please visit:

Atchafalaya Basinkeeper, (225) 659-2499

Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, (225) 767-4181

Gulf Restoration Network (GRN), (504) 525-1528

Louisiana Cypress Purchase Legacy, (504) 891-7116

Lower Mississippi Riverkeeper, (225) 928-1315

Save Our Cypress

Waterkeeper Alliance, 914.674.0622

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What about seaweed? It reads like a mega vitamin for the soil. It contains minerals, salts, and nutrients (VITAMINS) from the worlds' oceans and has a medicinal long life constituent. Most organic gardeners believe that it is the best organic matter around because it derives from the ocean and as a green plant is thriving on all the needed constituents of the ocean which it passes on to you and your plants, vegetables or flowers and leaves a deeper colour and has practically all the bodies necessary strengthening constituents. Watch out for pollution though, as the oceans are being attacked nowadays daily with poisons and other non-livable matters. Compost and mulch ought to be compatable with soil conditioning for the long term. As admix with sraw makes a good solid weed saving future for your organic garden.

Posted by:jonnyMarch 24, 2008 10:18:22 AMRespond ^

You can also check with your local city, county, or state waste management offices to see if they offer free mulch. My city does, since it regularly trims and cuts down trees, and it has quite a large pile that you simply drive up to, load up yourself, and drive away from. They also offer free compost. It's much (mulch!) better than buying.

Posted by:Scot MurphyMarch 24, 2008 1:58:35 PMRespond ^

Thanks for this! I had no idea that this ridiculous problem was taking place and was literally considering cypress mulch the other day.

Posted by:Terry MaulMarch 24, 2008 3:35:38 PMRespond ^

Just so everyone knows - SaveOurCypress.org is the coalition website for the cypress mulch issue.

The coalition includes all the groups that are listed at the bottom of the article.

So if you want the definitive information on this issue that is the place to go.

Posted by:Jeff - Save Our CypressApril 10, 2008 8:06:38 PMRespond ^

Re: Using Seaweed. Seaweed serves a vital function to the ocean and associated ecosystem. If you want to enrich/amend your soil you should just compost your own kitchen scraps. Coffee grounds, fruit and veggie waste.. just stay away from meat scraps and dairy stuffs. Most everything else is fair game.

Posted by:Jeff - Save Our CypressApril 10, 2008 8:09:57 PMRespond ^


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