Tips for Choosing a Permanent Mulch Border

Last Updated on April 16, 2021 by Ellen Christian

Using a permanent mulch border on your garden can help keep maintenance to a minimum. Check out these tips for choosing mulch.

Now is the time to start thinking about mulch. We have fruit trees, berry bushes, herb gardens, and flower gardens. All of them require constant care and mulch during the summer months if they’re going to produce and be happy.

As much as I love gardening, I have no desire to spend all of my days weeding. A recycled permanent garden mulch border can really help.

What is the best mulch?

Weeding is not one of my favorite garden tasks to do. Just the thought of spending hours out in the garden picking out weeds from around my flowers and herbs makes my back ache.

It’s important to keep the weeds out of your garden because they compete with the plants you want for food and nutrients from the soil. It seems like I can have my garden completely weed-free and the next morning when I look outside the weeds have magically appeared again everywhere!

One of the ways you can prevent weeds from taking over your garden is by using a rubber mulch border.  Mulch not only keeps the weeds down in your garden but also helps keep the moisture in. 

This limits how much you have to water your garden which is great not only for your water bill but also for conserving water in the hotter months when some areas have water rationing.

What is a permanent mulch border?

This is simply a layer of mulch that is made of rubber. It looks very authentic and lasts for several years. That means you don’t need to reapply mulch every spring.

Here are a few options for recycled rubber garden edging.

• Rubber Mulch Border

• Rubber Mulch by Rubberific

• Red Perma Mulch

Not all varieties of mulch are created equally. Here are a few tips that will help you choose the best type. Buying the best type can help you keep rodents out of the garden.

Type of Mulch

The most common type of mulch is bark mulch. That’s the type I see at my local grocery and hardware stores. However, there is also stone mulch which can be used to help with drainage.

Or, if you’re looking for a long-lasting, eco-friendly type of mulch, you can purchase mulch that’s been made from reclaimed tires. It’s also known as a permanent mulch border.

Of course, you can also create your own mulch by composting leaves – called leaf mulch. Straw will also work to mulch your vegetable garden.

Best Mulch Color

I generally choose bark mulch that’s naturally colored so it ends up being brown. I prefer the natural look so that works for me.

However, you can purchase red or black mulch that has been dyed. If you choose to work with dyed mulch, please wear gardening gloves as the mulch will stain your hands.

This product presentation was made with AAWP plugin.

Also, don’t use dyed mulch on the food you’ll be eating to avoid ingesting the dyes.

A permanent mulch pathway is an easy way to cut down on home maintenance in your yard. 

How much mulch should I use?

You’ll want to use between 4 and 6 inches of mulch on top of the bare ground. Too little and the weeds will find their way through. Too much and you’re throwing away money that you could be spending on more flowers.

Remember if you aren’t using a permanent mulch border to remove the old much before adding the new mulch to keep the look consistent and discourage pests.

A permanent mulch border is pet friendly

If you have a dog, or dogs roam freely in your neighborhood, avoid cocoa bean mulch. Cocoa bean mulch contains theobromine and caffeine just like chocolate does. And, it’s toxic to dogs.

It can cause vomiting, seizures, tremors, and even death. Choose another type of mulch for your garden just in case.

That is one of the reasons that a permanent mulch border is often the best type.

Now that you’re thinking about mulch, what type works best for you?

More gardening and home maintenance articles

• End of summer home maintenance

• Create a backyard oasis on a budget

• Quackgrass killer recipe

• Plants for bees and butterflies