Rubber Mulch

Dan R Porter · Jun 4, 2009

I know this has been discussed before, but I did not want to dig up a dead thread.

My boss wants a bid on mulching our trees with rubber mulch. I understand that alot of the health concerns have been corrected with rubber mulch over the last few years.

I had a friend of mine tell me that the heat from the mucl, killed his plants, so I wonder, will this heat cause sunscald on my younger trees?

Please if anyone has any good resources or ideas let me know! Thanks.

S Mc · Jun 4, 2009

Rubber mulch, in my humble opinion is an oxymoron.

Most rubber mulches available are a petroleum-based product that will take millineums to decompose...if that soon. It seems to me that many times when people opt for a mulch out of rubber or rocks, they are doing so in the interest of low maintenance; a ground cover that they will not have to replace.

Mulch, again IMHO, should be organic. Therefore, as it breaks down it will put nutrients back into the soil and nourish the tree. This is an important beneficial part of the nutrient cycle that benefits not only your trees but the life underground. Only one of its many benefits and attributes.

I do not know specifically if rubber will increase the likelihood of sunscald. However, I have no problems believing it could heat up the soil beneath it, in certain circumstances, to the detriment and well-being of the roots beneath.

To prevent sunscald, you should protect thin and young-barked trees during the winter months with a tube that is then removed come early spring. Sunscald is caused by the heating of the cambium during a sunny winter day and then sudden drop in temperatures as the sun sets or goes behind a cloud. This phenomena causes everything from little damage to lethal freezing, depending upon just how extreme the temperature variant is.

A tree can experience sunburn when, for instance, a canopy is suddenly opened up exposing bark that had not previously been exposed to sunlight. This can happen at any time of year. But again, this condition wouldn't be affected by the mulch used.

Hopefully this information helps out a bit.

Sylvia

buzz sawyer · Jun 4, 2009

There was a story about rubber mulch in our paper tonight. Guess what Obama put on his kid's new playground at the Whitehouse?

S Mc · Jun 5, 2009

Please reassure me no plant materials were integral to the playground area and that this was just for a playing surface. :cry:

s13rymos · Jun 5, 2009

I was thinking about stocking rubber mulch a few yrs. back then found out what it would cost.. about $70 a cubic yard to resell :jawdrop: No thank you..

As for the heat killing your plants.. yea if u just keep it away from the plants a little till it cools of u'll be fine.. my piles get to 200+ degrees in the middle. sometimes i have to watch to make sure they dont catch fire....