Rubber Mulch - Opinions
 

I have been thinking about going with rubber mulch around my shrubs. I know
it is more expensive but between putting down another inch or two every year
and the 2-3 times per season of breaking the mulch up, i think the cost is
worth it. I have been reading positives and negatives on the internet but
because the positives are from the manufacturer and the negatives are from
organic based groups, it is hard to get a "honest" opinion plus most of the
info i have been finding is 2-3 years old. Any one have recent experiences
they would like to share? I am looking at Rubberstuff and
Rubberific...leaning towards Rubberific due to the their grind of the
rubber.

Rubber Mulch - Opinions
 

Me wrote:
I have been thinking about going with rubber mulch around my shrubs. I know
it is more expensive but between putting down another inch or two every year
and the 2-3 times per season of breaking the mulch up, i think the cost is
worth it. I have been reading positives and negatives on the internet but
because the positives are from the manufacturer and the negatives are from
organic based groups, it is hard to get a "honest" opinion plus most of the
info i have been finding is 2-3 years old. Any one have recent experiences
they would like to share? I am looking at Rubberstuff and
Rubberific...leaning towards Rubberific due to the their grind of the
rubber.

No experience but if this stuff is ground up tires, I don't think I
would want it around my house because of possible persistant nature of
rubber additives and curing agents.
Frank

Rubber Mulch - Opinions
 

"Frank" wrote in message
oups.com...

Me wrote:
I have been thinking about going with rubber mulch around my shrubs. I
know
it is more expensive but between putting down another inch or two every
year
and the 2-3 times per season of breaking the mulch up, i think the cost
is
worth it. I have been reading positives and negatives on the internet
but
because the positives are from the manufacturer and the negatives are
from
organic based groups, it is hard to get a "honest" opinion plus most of
the
info i have been finding is 2-3 years old. Any one have recent
experiences
they would like to share? I am looking at Rubberstuff and
Rubberific...leaning towards Rubberific due to the their grind of the
rubber.

No experience but if this stuff is ground up tires, I don't think I
would want it around my house because of possible persistant nature of
rubber additives and curing agents.
Frank

I have never used it either but I am wondering whether the stuff will get
strewn round your garden, lawn etc. This type of stuff is used in childrens
play grounds and often contained by raised boxing. If it is fine and not
properly contained how easy is it to pick up from places you don't want it?
How easily will it get mixed in with soil?

I use wood sahving mulch under a hedge and this stuff gets moved on to the
lawn by animals. It does some damage to the lawn but will decay after a
period of time. Rubber chips won't quickly regrade.

rob

Rubber Mulch - Opinions
 

"Frank" wrote in message
ups.com...

George.com wrote:
"Frank" wrote in message
oups.com...

Me wrote:
I have been thinking about going with rubber mulch around my shrubs.
I
know
it is more expensive but between putting down another inch or two
every
year
and the 2-3 times per season of breaking the mulch up, i think the
cost
is
worth it. I have been reading positives and negatives on the
internet
but
because the positives are from the manufacturer and the negatives
are
from
organic based groups, it is hard to get a "honest" opinion plus most
of
the
info i have been finding is 2-3 years old. Any one have recent
experiences
they would like to share? I am looking at Rubberstuff and
Rubberific...leaning towards Rubberific due to the their grind of
the
rubber.

No experience but if this stuff is ground up tires, I don't think I
would want it around my house because of possible persistant nature of
rubber additives and curing agents.
Frank

I have never used it either but I am wondering whether the stuff will
get
strewn round your garden, lawn etc. This type of stuff is used in
childrens
play grounds and often contained by raised boxing. If it is fine and not
properly contained how easy is it to pick up from places you don't want
it?
How easily will it get mixed in with soil?

I thought about this and my personal opinion is that whatever chemicals
are present will be highly diluted or degrade and not have any toxic
effect. OTOH there is the public perception - call it chemophobia -
where others will be concerned. Thus, if they see it around your
house, it will detract from perceived value of property. So, that is
main reason I would not use it.

I wasn't so much concerned with chemicals Frank, more wondering about it
getting mixed in with soil and becoming a persisent pain in the arse. I have
found bark mulch eventually gets mixed in to the soil and becomes a
headache. Rubber will just exist that much longer in the garden. Fare better
use a wood chip mulch I reckon as it will degrade if/when combined with
soil. Unless the garden will never be tilled I doubt I would use it.

rob

Rubber Mulch - Opinions
 

George.com wrote:
"Frank" wrote in message
oups.com...

Me wrote:
I have been thinking about going with rubber mulch around my shrubs. I
know
it is more expensive but between putting down another inch or two every
year
and the 2-3 times per season of breaking the mulch up, i think the cost
is
worth it. I have been reading positives and negatives on the internet
but
because the positives are from the manufacturer and the negatives are
from
organic based groups, it is hard to get a "honest" opinion plus most of
the
info i have been finding is 2-3 years old. Any one have recent
experiences
they would like to share? I am looking at Rubberstuff and
Rubberific...leaning towards Rubberific due to the their grind of the
rubber.

No experience but if this stuff is ground up tires, I don't think I
would want it around my house because of possible persistant nature of
rubber additives and curing agents.
Frank

I have never used it either but I am wondering whether the stuff will get
strewn round your garden, lawn etc. This type of stuff is used in childrens
play grounds and often contained by raised boxing. If it is fine and not
properly contained how easy is it to pick up from places you don't want it?
How easily will it get mixed in with soil?

I thought about this and my personal opinion is that whatever chemicals
are present will be highly diluted or degrade and not have any toxic
effect. OTOH there is the public perception - call it chemophobia -
where others will be concerned. Thus, if they see it around your
house, it will detract from perceived value of property. So, that is
main reason I would not use it.

Frank

Rubber Mulch - Opinions
 

The rubber will degrade but not in the biological sense. Contact with
microbes, bugs and other stuff in soil will have no effect but
eventually sunlight and oxidation in air will turn hydrocarbon rubber
to dust. It would be hard to put a number on but I doubt if it would
degrade faster than wood chips. I've had cheap bicycle tires on bike
in garage fall apart in a year but I've seen thrown away tires in a
field last for years. Guess it depends on how good the rubber
antioxidant package was. I've been assuming these rubber chips are
ground up tires. Some of the zinc/sulfur curing agents were given a
bad press by environmentalists. Unfortunately you cannot recycle
rubber back into tires.

Frank