I've been using straw mulch in my raised garden beds for years, and it's been fantastic. However, I've just started creating some ground beds with a beautiful red and black brick border, and I planted my first flower bed. I used straw to protect it from rain, but honestly, the yellow straw looks terrible against the bricks! I've heard that chip mulch can bind nitrogen—are there any other options I should consider? Is nitrogen binding a huge issue if I pay close attention?
3 Answers
I actually use black bark mulch in my flower beds. It looks fantastic with the landscaping, and my flowers are thriving!
One option you might want to consider is pine straw. I tried it once and wasn't a huge fan, but a lot of people swear by it! Pine bark nuggets are another choice—they break down slowly, so you shouldn't have too much trouble with nitrogen depletion.
If I need to buy mulch, I usually go for fine pine mulch. Lately, I've been using bamboo leaves instead. I have a lot of clumping bamboo, and since it gets windy, I have plenty of leaves that work great as mulch in my raised beds.