I have been using cypress mulch in my flower beds but want to switch to cedar mulch. I'm assuming the mulch at the large retailers is not native. Will cedar mulch from Home Depot or Lowe's be as effective at weed control as native cedar?

The cedar mulch at Home Depot also comes from a Texas source, but I cannot remember which town offhand.

I have used both it and the Living Earth variety extensively. Living Earth is a much, much finer blend and breaks down more easily over a year or so, so I use it in flower beds and on the mounds of my azaleas. I have noticed the stuff this year has had a fist-sized clump of 'dirt' in at least 1 in 5 bags and is not as "cedar fragrant" as past years... quality control??

The Home Depot stuff is much more coarse, a lot a small stick-shreds and very fragrant. I use it around all my tree beds and mulch in my photinia, boxwood and holly beds. It's 2 bucks a bag cheaper and lasts a lot longer there.

Both control weeds effectively -- they have to grow through 2-3 inches of either one -- moderate the ground temp and keep the rollie-pollies away too.

I just got about 100# from a friend building a home...he mulched it himself.

Iam making the assumption that I dontI have to worry about any cridders in this mulch...?

Best Cedar mulch...