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Synthetic mulch?!?
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Author:  kshaw [ Wed Mar 24, 2004 10:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Synthetic mulch?!?

I wanted to get others opinions on this...

I was in Lowe's last weekend and I found something that they are calling a "synthetic mulch". It is actually recylced tires that have been shredded and bound together. You can lay it around your trees and plants and supposedly water and nutrients pass through but it acts as a barrier to weeds and grass. Does anyone know more about it ?

Author:  khwoz [ Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:52 am ]
Post subject:  synthetic mulch

I wouldn't use it. I don't know if it would hurt anything but my belief is; does it benefit the soil structure, microbes, etc., if not, don't use.

Author:  Scott Fl [ Mon Mar 29, 2004 4:28 pm ]
Post subject: 

tires have OIL in the them,,,,,it seems the oil will slow down weeds and plants!

would oil qualify as an organic?

Author:  Billusa99 [ Mon Mar 29, 2004 9:43 pm ]
Post subject: 

Basically, mulch does 3 things:

1) it shields the soil from excess heat and excess cold, thereby protecting against excess moisture loss and excessive freezing (depending on climactic zone you live in).
2) by doing #1, allows soil microbes to do their work in a less stressful environment, and allows plants, of any kind, to grow in a more consistant environment.
3) it breaks down itself into organic compounds/compost that in turn feeds the microbes and replenishes the soil.

Shredded tires would obviously do #1, as would pink fiberglass insulation and multiple layers of plastic. Their effect on #2 would be minimal, at best, and as for #3... you would have shredded tires in your garden forever!

FYI: shredded tires are added to asphalt mixes so that new paving lasts longer. They do this because landfills are becoming overrun with tires and they need a way to "recycle" them because they don't decay.

Ultimately, only you can decide if you want them in your back yard. :wink:

Author:  user_48634 [ Tue Mar 30, 2004 8:37 pm ]
Post subject: 

Other than KWHOZ's excellent point, I don't see a big problem with rubber tire mulch. It takes a lot of microbes a long time to decompose it so don't hold your breath waiting for it to disappear. If it decomposed quickly, we couldn't use them as tires.

Author:  Billusa99 [ Tue Mar 30, 2004 9:49 pm ]
Post subject: 

Dchall_San_Antonio wrote:
Other than KWHOZ's excellent point, I don't see a big problem with rubber tire mulch. It takes a lot of microbes a long time to decompose it so don't hold your breath waiting for it to disappear. If it decomposed quickly, we couldn't use them as tires.


Whaaaaaaa???!!!??? Yup... absolutely organic, that is... and I believe you have missed our points.

Author:  user_48634 [ Thu Apr 01, 2004 12:46 am ]
Post subject: 

I don't think I missed your earlier points but I missed the point of that last one. What are you getting at?

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