What is Red Mulch?

A red mulch is a mulch product which has been colored red. There are a number of different kinds of red mulch products on the market, including wood products which are naturally red before they are chipped for mulch. Many garden supply stores and nurseries carry this type of mulch, and they may be able to order it by request from customers. Special orders for mulch usually require a large volume, so people with small gardens may want to consider placing a group order with neighbors; bulk orders also save on costs.

Natural mulch products such as cedar sometimes have a red tone. Chipped wood and bark mulches can also be dyed red, in addition to many other colors. Several companies make red plastic or rubber mulch, in several different styles including sheathes which cover the ground and sheets of red plastic which can be laid out in the garden.

Gardeners use mulch to help the soil retain water and nutrients, raise soil temperatures in cooler climates, and keep down weeds. A number of things can influence the choice of mulch, including the climate, the preferences of the plants being grown, and the aesthetics of the gardener. While red mulch may seem purely aesthetic in nature, it also provides a growing advantage to plants. It reflects more light in a red wavelength which stimulates plant growth, which means that applying red mulch can help plants grow stronger.

Tomatoes in particular appear to be partial to red mulch, although growth rates and yields for all sorts of plants can be improved by using this mulch product. For ornamental gardens where yield may not be of as much interest, chipped red mulch can provide an interesting visual appearance, although some people find dyed mulches a bit overwhelming aesthetically. Gardeners should be aware that when they use a dyed mulch, the dye will rub off and enter the water table, and it will fade over time. Neighbors who complain may find it helpful to know that bright colors become more subdued fairly quickly, and that manufacturers use nontoxic dyes such as iron oxide in their mulches, due to concerns about the dye damaging the plants.

When applying mulch, gardeners should be careful to give plants some breathing room, rather than bringing the mulch right up to the stem or trunk. It is also important to weed before laying down mulch, and to avoid piling mulch too high. Old mulch should be removed before new mulch is installed, to avoid creating a thick layer of mulch which traps water and nutrients before it reaches the soil.