What Kind of Mulch Should I Use?

You’re standing in the garden center staring at rows and rows of bagged mulch, wondering, “What kind of mulch should I use?” Do you choose the type of mulch by the plants, or by how pretty it looks? And should you worry about what kind of mulch you’re adding to the garden – will it add weird chemicals or hurt wildlife or pets?

Mulch added to the garden provides several benefits. In this article, I’ll share what mulch is, the types available for home gardens, and how to choose the right mulch for your needs.

What Is Mulch?

Mulch consists of ground or shredded plant material such as wood chips, bark, or even cocoa bean hulls. Other types of mulch include clean, weed-free hay or straw and dried pine needles, called pine straw.

Why Use Mulch?

Mulch serves several purposes in the garden:

• Retain moisture: Mulch prevents evaporation by creating a protective layer over the soil surface. It helps the soil retain water near the plant’s surface roots.
• Suppressing weeds: Weed seeds that require light to germinate struggle under the dark cover of a thick layer of mulch. This reduces the number of weeds that can sprout in your garden.
• Prevents soil erosion: That barrier over the soil prevents water from washing tiny soil particles away, keeping soil where it belongs – near your plants.
• Maintains temperature: A layer of mulch can also help maintain even soil temperature.

Types of Mulch and Their Uses

Mulch comes in many forms, each offering different benefits depending on your garden’s needs. Some mulches enrich the soil as they decompose, while others are chosen for durability, appearance, or weed suppression. Gardeners often mix and match types to improve moisture retention, soil health, and overall garden structure.

Wood Chips and Bark

Wood-based mulches such as pine, cypress, cedar, and mixed hardwoods are among the most widely used. They can be purchased in bags or ordered in bulk from a nursery. In my garden, we bring in a truckload each year and wheelbarrow it to different beds, a task that doubles as a workout. As these chips break down, they enrich the soil and give garden paths and borders a natural, tidy look.

Coco Hull Mulch

Coco hull mulch, a byproduct of the chocolate industry, was once very popular in the area where I lived on Long Island. When warmed by the sun, it releases a pleasant cocoa scent. Despite its charm, it poses a serious risk to pets and wildlife because the hulls are toxic if ingested. For households with animals, it is best avoided.

Glass or Rubber Mulch

Glass mulch is made from recycled glass chips and offers a colorful, decorative appearance. Rubber mulch, created from shredded tires, is another recycled option. Both are long-lasting and considered environmentally friendly because they repurpose waste materials. However, they do not break down or contribute nutrients to the soil. I do not like using either of these products. If you do use them, they should only be used in landscaped areas, not in vegetable or any other gardens that produce edible foods.

Straw or Hay

Straw is a favorite in vegetable gardens because it is lightweight, easy to spread, and breaks down quickly, enriching the soil. Hay is similar but often contains seeds, which can lead to unwanted weeds. For most gardeners, straw is the better choice.

Leaf Mulch

Shredded leaves are one of the most natural and readily available mulches. They are abundant in the fall and break down into rich leaf mold that improves soil structure. Whole leaves can mat down, so shredding helps them stay loose and effective.

Compost

Compost serves as both mulch and fertilizer. Spread on top of the soil, it helps retain moisture while adding nutrients. It is especially useful around vegetables and perennials that benefit from the extra nourishment

Pine Needles

Pine needles, or pine straw, are lightweight and slow to break down. They are ideal for acid-loving plants such as blueberries, azaleas, and hydrangeas. Pine needles also stay in place better than many other lightweight mulches. Pine straw is what I use to cover my strawberry plants in the winter to prevent heaving, or freezing and thawing that thrusts the plants out of the soil. This is one example of how mulch moderates temperature.

Stone or Gravel

Natural stone or gravel is often used in xeriscaping or around foundations. It does not break down, providing excellent drainage and long-term, low-maintenance coverage. It is best suited for foundation plantings, near shrubs, and other areas where soil improvement is not a priority.

Living Mulch

Living mulch consists of groundcovers such as creeping thyme, clover, or ajuga. These plants form a living carpet that suppresses weeds, cools the soil, and adds beauty. They are especially useful in perennial beds and pathways.

Cardboard or Newspaper

Cardboard and newspaper are commonly used for weed suppression in new garden beds. They smother existing weeds and break down over time. Gardeners often place organic mulch on top to create a clean, finished look. 

Natural Mulch (Bark, Wood, Straw) Improves the Soil

On the other hand, if you’re gardening in an area like mine with poor soil, you’re probably looking for any chance you can get to improve it. I began my flower garden five years ago and added composted horse manure trucked in from the local stable plus a little garden activator from an organic catalog to add some microbes back into the soil.  After adding the perennials and shrubs, we added a thick layer of shredded pine bark mulch.  It’s decomposed nicely into the soil.

Worms Thrive Under a Cover of Mulch

This year, as I raked part of the yard, I uncovered some gorgeous, thick worms. I was so happy to see those little critters wriggling around in the soil!  Worms are a sign of soil health. Where there are worms, there’s decomposition going on. Worms add nutrients to the soil as they poop. Did you know that people actually pay good money for bags of worm poop, euphemistically called worm casings or castings? It’s true. Worm poop. Would I lie to you?

Worms aerate the soil as they tunnel, helping air and water reach plant roots. They also chomp on all the decomposing stuff like leaves and manure, helping to break them down. When you see worms in the compost pile or garden soil, it’s a great sign.

Natural Mulch Improves Soil

So adding the natural mulches to my garden beds has really helped. To me, it mimics the cycle of nature you see in forests. As leaves fall in the autumn, they naturally decompose into humus and organic matter on the forest floor. That feeds the plants and improves the soil. That is what I like about using wood mulches; they add back to the soil.

This post was updated on July 12, 2026, with new information, fresh links, and new images.