Are there any advantages or disadvantages to using rubber mulch. We live in Brevard county Florida.
Spotshot
I absolutely LOVE the stuff!! It never fades and lasts so much longer than the natural stuff. I put it in originally 8 years ago and just this year I "refreshed" with a batch of new stuff. I will say that it takes more bags to cover an area as they are smaller but more manageable. But as long as you get it thick enough it keep a majority of the weeds at bay. I would buy a few bags here and there every so often to fill in some areas that were a little thin but other than that it's been great. As long as you get the shredded it looks just like real mulch and you can't tell a difference at all. I have not found any downside to it at all other than the initial cost of it but it pays for itself over the long haul and you only have to install it once instead of every year.
A downside to rubber mulch is that it can lead to increased heavy metals (e.g. zinc) in your soil as it breaks down. This can be harmful to vegetation, and it really shouldn't be used near anything you are growing for food (e.g. vegetable garden). In contrast, natural wood mulches break down and provide nutrients to the soil.
I have shrubs and flowers in all the beds with the mulch and they are doing just fine over the years. I don't think it really broke down per se, it was more from loss due to wind or cleaning out the beds in the Spring. It stays put pretty well but there is always an occasional piece here and there that makes it out of the bed, usually because of the leaf blower
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