Just read the "ASK" q&a section, where the landscape contractor, Roger Cook, says to a person complaining about the dreary color his mulch turns to:

"The color... is the least of your problems. Mulch takes nitrogen out of the soil and can rot plant stems where it comes into contact with them. If you don't remove old mulch before putting down the new, you can smother plants and kill them. In fact, you can add so much mulch over the years that it provides an avenue for termites to invade your home or causes rot wherever it touches the siding or trim."

This guy is outa control! What does he apply -- 40 tons per year a foot deep??

Start emailing them! Howard -- this guy is worse than the peat moss guy last year -- get him on your show!

PS: and if your mulch is looking dreary, take a valium.

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...Bill

What a trip. I suggest catnip tea over valium, though. And stick with cedar mulch. When it breaks down, it is a great thing!

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Nadine Bielling
Moderator
Gardener Exchange Forum

The Laws of Ecology:
"All things are interconnected. Everything goes somewhere. There's no such thing as a free lunch. Nature bats last." --Ernest Callenbach

Well Mr. Cook seems to be overreacting just a *teensy* bit , but I think the key is what kind of mulch you use. When I moved into my house four years ago, the previous owners had been mulching for years with cypress. It had matted into this impermeable layer and was absolutely smothering the flower bed. I removed great sheets of it and put down cedar. I've never had a problem since. Unfortunately it seems that Mr. Cook is among the "mulch is mulch" brigade.