What Is a Good Organic Mulch to Use in Flower Beds?

Leaves & Wood Chips

• Mulching is a wonderful way to reuse fallen leaves in autumn. A thick leaf layer will insulate plants in winter and can be turned into the soil come spring. Do not use leaves from black walnuts; the trees produce a chemical that inhibits plant growth. Shredded bark and wood chips make a very attractive mulch. They can last for several years and are carried by most garden stores. Tree-cutting services are often a good resource for inexpensive or free wood chips.

Grass Clippings & Straw

• Grass clippings make a good mulch, provided the lawn is not treated with chemicals. Let the grass dry before using it as mulch; green grass may smell and promote mold growth. Hay and straw are excellent for stifling weeds and are available at many garden retailers. Alfalfa hay adds extra nitrogen to soil as it breaks down.

  Grass clippings and straw decompose quickly, lasting one season at best.

Compost

• Homemade or purchased compost can be used as a fertile mulch. It is an outstanding plant food and provides more nutrients than other mulch materials. Since it is so fertile and soil-like, compost is best used in conjunction with another type of mulch. Several inches of compost under a layer of leaves or bark will nourish plants and prevent weeds.

Stone

• Rock and stone are permanent mulching options best used in beds of woody shrubs or around trees. Lay down a barrier of plastic or landscape cloth to prevent weeds, and place stone to a depth of several inches. Stone comes in a variety of sizes and colors; it is decorative but can be expensive.