Marianne's Response

red mulch

House we bought last year came with red cedar? mulch in flower beds. What can I do with it after taking it out? No burn pit available. Any ideas appreciated. No evidence that it is decaying other then white mold on top.

Posted by jack heninger on September 14, 2018

Marianne's Response

Are you sure the mulch is cedar? Mold on top tells me it could be wood chips as sometimes mulches are now sprayed or tinted  to give them more color. A cedar mulch is great for pathways or pet areas as cedar decomposes slowly and repels water keeping down weeds. Perhaps you can recycle it as a path through trees or in the service area as a surface for garbage bins or in a kennel area. Cedar chips are not a great mulch for flowers as it keeps out the rain. You can also use cedar chips at the base of a compost pile. Just rake it into a corner and sandwich grass clippings and other debris between layers of the chips. Make each layer 4 to 6 inches deep. Like making a lasagna of chips and green material. In a year you should have moldy chips that look dark and rotten. This makes a better mulch for on top of beds and around shrubs to keep down weeds. One more idea - give it away  on a neighborhood website to whomever wants to haul it off first. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti