Farm Horizons
•
Dec. 5, 2016
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Page 22
Is rubber mulch safe for my
yard and garden?
Rubber mulches are advertised as perget mixed in with the mulch. Magnets are
manent, effective, and safe materials for
used but they are hardly 100 percent effecChristine
use in landscapes and gardens.
tive. These wires eventually rust out in a
Schlueter
At first glance, it may seem that rubber
couple months and this causes concerns as
McLeod County
Master Gardener
mulches are an environmentally friendly
to what chemicals are being leached into
way of recycling used tires, but further rethe ground.
search indicates they are neither effective
Wire-free mulching is available for an
in long-term weed control (pretty much
extra cost. This mulching is required for
anything will work in the short term) nor safe for the en- playground installation for obvious reasons.
vironment.
Playgrounds and Other Areas
While recycling waste tires is an important environmenRubber mulch is most common for playgrounds. Its sutal issue, the solution is not to spread the pollution problem perior shock absorption rating outperforms wood mulch,
over our landscapes and gardens.
gravel, and sand.
Where Rubber Mulch Comes from
Wire-free, rubber mulch is the safest playground mateRubber mulch is made from recycled tires. Several hun- rial available. For your kids’ backyard play area, it’s also
dred million tires are discarded every year and some of these a completely clean surface that won’t be tracked back into
are now being used in the production of rubber mulching.
the house.
It takes approximately 80 old tires to create one square
While rubber mulch costs approximately twice as much
foot of rubber mulching. Not only does this mulching re- as traditional mulch, it lasts considerably longer. High-end
quire no tree sacrifices, it reduces the waste that gets shipped rubber mulch can last for the lifetime of your home. Rubber
off to your local landfill.
mulching can also be a great choice for horse arenas and
The problem arises when the tiny wires in radial tires general landscaping.
Gardens
The topic gets a little trickier when you start talking about
using rubber mulch in your garden.
Studies differ—as do the mulches themselves – but there’s
a good chance that over time your rubber mulch will leak
chemicals into your soil. What chemicals and how much can
depend on several factors, but the most common is zinc.
Zinc is found naturally in soil, and too much or too little
HUTCHINSON
ARLINGTON
will affect the quality of your topsoil. You should test your
1420 ADAM ST.
23189 HWY. 5
soil if you’re considering rubber mulch, but the eastern Unit320-587-3229
507-964-2283
ed States tends to have plenty of zinc in the soil already; the
western United States tends to have a zinc deficiency.
One of the advantages of putting rubber mulching in your
garden is that it doesn’t attract termites or carpenter ants
and won’t wash away in a rainstorm. On the other hand, if
your garden is full of delicate plants that require ideal conditions to grow, you might consider sticking with the wood
mulch.
Advantages
• it is recycled material which benefits the environment
• it insulates the soil protecting it from heat
MITCH FABEL
WAYNE M AIERS
PETE HALLBERG
• does not absorb water so it keeps the soil moist
• prevents weeds since seeds will dehydrate in the mulch
Hutchinson Co-op agronomists are here to help you with all your needs.
prior to reaching the soil
• shredded rubber mulch can be used as landfill
We offer:
Comprehensive Precision Ag Program • Crop Input Financing
• does not wash away during heavy rain
Variable Rate Spreading • Soil Sampling • Grid Sampling
• does not decay
Custom Application of Fertilizer
• does not sink to the ground
Asgrow/Dekalb • Croplan Genetics • NK Brand • Wensman
• does not attract termites, ants and other garden insects
• can be purchased in different colors to add beauty to a
garden or landscape
• no need to remove old mulch year after year from the
90836 AG
1-800-795-1299