environmental effects of inorganic and organic mulch and

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF MULCH 1

Environmental Effects of Inorganic and Organic Mulch and

Their Effect on Plant Growth

Shivani Patel


Mulch is a spread over the soil, which is usually used for the purpose of absorbing

moisture, preventing weed growth and alleviating soil temperature. In most instances, mulch can

be quite beneficial for plant growth because of the organic materials used to enrich this quality.

However, there are also several issues that come about with the use of mulch, especially if the

mulch is chemically enhanced because of the color dye.

There are a variety of mulches that can be used for plant growth and around the garden in

general, but there a few that can bring around severe circumstances that can harm plant growth.

One of the most common mulch that is used widely is the red dye mulch. It is rich in color,

which lures in buyers who are seeking to bring a “pop” to their garden. What most gardeners fail

to realize is that the dyes in the mulch are chemically based, which has some detrimental effects.

The dye in the mulch will constantly be leaching into the soil, especially if there are extreme

weather conditions like rain storms and severe heat temperatures. These natural weather patterns

can often cause the dyes in the mulch to react negatively, releasing chemicals into the ground

and the soil.

Another problem that is attached to the use of red mulch is the over mulching just to

maintain the rich-red look. Eventually, the color of the red mulch fades away so, as a result more

mulch is added onto the old set. This is something that is frequently seen in a lot of gardens and

after a while, a thick layer will be found on top of the nutrient-stripped soil. When there is a thick

layer of chemically enhanced mulch, water is unable to penetrate through and the wood in the

mulch uses up most of the available nitrogen. Plant roots begin to suffocate and repeated

applications of mulch can add onto the soil being waterlogged. When the levels of oxygen drop

in the soil, root growth declines significantly, which is a major problem. The excessive and

heavy layers mulch added on top of one another can also attract rodents.


One solution to the damaging effects of red dye mulch would be to switch over to the use

of organic mulches. Any kind of organic mulch is better for the soil and for plant growth. A few

advantages to using organic mulch is that it can be very long lasting and it helps add nutrients to

the soil, rather than stripping the nutrients away. Melaleuca mulch in particular, which comes

from a paper-bark tree and it is harvested from unwanted exotic trees in native areas. Mulches

like melaleuca are especially good because they do not attract termites. Also, because it is long

lasting, the need to add more layers of mulch so frequently is eliminated. This organic mulch

breaks down in the garden, which is beneficial to the soil. It does need to be replenished as often

and is budget-friendly, in comparison to the red-dye mulch. Melaleuca mulch, alongside other

organic mulches, suppresses weed growth and improves soil structure. The alteration of the soil

increases root growth and aeration is improved as well. It also has great soil moisture retention,

meaning that it can hold a lot of water and preserve it.

Organic mulch helps keep the soil cool and moist, mostly in the summer, which helps

reduce the need for water. Due to the fact that organic mulches decompose slowly, nutrients are

frequently released into the soil; as a result, earthwork activity increases which helps to improve

soil and nutrient content. The benefit of using organic mulch is that in can be found anywhere,

such as grass clippings, leaves and pine needles. As a result of using natural products on the soil

and around plants, plant growth and nutrient availability increases as well.

To ensure sufficient plant growth, periodic inspections of the garden should be taken

place, especially if there is mulch being used around the plants. The idea is to keep the mulch at

a specific level, particularly a two to four inch depth of mulch. If the mulch exceeds this basic

depth, then the risks of root suffocation will increase and water source will decline.


The purpose of this research is to further prove that organic mulch is beneficial to plant

growth and other environmental effects, in comparison to inorganic mulches like red-dye mulch.

By using a large population size of plants separated with two different types of mulches, growth

can be calculated accurately. The idea is to place the plants, which are given different types of

mulches, under the same exact conditions. This way, everything is controlled and there are no

outlying variables that can affect the growth of plants.

If both of these variables are tested, the effects during and after can be analyzed. For

example, the amount of water the mulches retain in comparison to the other can be seen by how

much is being watered on a daily basis. Normally, chemically enhanced mulch releases its

chemicals into the soil when there is a lot of water or extreme sunlight, so the actual effects of

that will be seen with the plant growth. On the other hand, the organic mulch should be able to

provide sufficient amount of nutrients and water release for the plant roots. The soil should be

greater in nutrients and the structure of it will also aid in plant growth.

From this research, the advantages and disadvantages of both types of mulches,

meleleuca and red-dye, will be explored. The sole purpose is to ensure that all plants are

provided with the best kind of mulch and cares in order to grow the right way without any

unfavorable effects. If this research results in greater plant growth with the organic mulch over a

period of four months, then the hypothesis will be better supported. With this type of data and

information, the negative effects of chemically enhanced mulch can be shared and gardeners can

further educate themselves on the right ways to grow plants by using the beneficial types of

mulches.

environmental effects of inorganic and organic mulch and

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