Lady Bug Natural - Ole Barrell 99 Premium Bark Mulch (sold only in bags for now) Their parent company, New Earth, makes colored mulches for mass merchandisers.But every single one carries an all-natural or Texas native mulch as well. I should note that, with the exception of Nature's Way Resources, these companies also make dyed mulches (for the ignorant side of the market). They come in all kinds of 'shredded' and 'double-shredded' forms, and some local companies have all-natural mulches that keep their color longer than some shredded hardwood mulches of the past. Here's what you need to commit to buying or having your landscaper provide: Texas native or all-natural mulch. Plus, most dyed mulches, because they are made from chipped-up wood, cause nitrogen immobilization (yellowing leaves) and slowly poison the soil. Yes, we need an aesthetically pleasing look for curb appeal, but I contend you never get that with black-dyed mulch. We need healthy mulch for weed suppression, moisture retention and to add good organic things to the soil. Some at the seminar reported, 'My landscaper uses it for all the homes he works on in our neighborhood.' Those landscapers are just ignorant and/or lazy, not learning that wood chipped up from pallets then dyed black simply provides no benefits. But if anyone who listens to GardenLine, follows these weekly tips, or is a Facebook fan, and still uses dyed mulch of any kind. And some recently moved to the area from another state, so I understand that they just didn't know any better.

As it turns out, a few people in the audience just bought homes that already had it. I did a seminar at the Cy-Fair Home & Garden show last Saturday, and I was baffled again that, to this day, people still use dyed mulches. (They're from two years ago, so the event and party info is no longer applicable, but the advice on mulch is still rock solid.) One included facts from a leading expert on mulch, and one dealt with landscapers who push the product. Before we get to the 10 Commandments, please take a moment to read (or re-read) two of my previous posts on the problems associated with dyed mulch.

Living earth mulch bags