Use Mulch to Brighten Landscaping Without Flowers

Summary

• Colored mulch is safe for your plants.
• Red mulching increases tomato yields and pairs well with white flowers.
• Rock lasts longer, improves drainage, and is ideal for heat-loving plants.

Mulch is a gardener's best friend in the flower garden, helping to cut down weeds, reducing the spread of disease, and acting as a protective layer for the roots of your plants. There are many options when it comes to selecting mulch for your landscaping design, from traditional wood, to straw, landscaping rocks, and even rubber mulch. Garden beds and landscaping don't have to be boring, as there are plenty of creative ways you can utilize colorful mulch to brighten up your landscape.

So, what are you waiting for? Say it with mulch and embrace landscaping without flowers!

Is Colored Mulch Safe to Use?

Before you dive into the world of colorful mulch, you might be wondering if it's safe to use for your plants and flowers. According to Liz Stanley, Horticulture Community Education Assistant for the University of Maine, "mulch dyes are not toxic to plants." However, it's always important to double-check the supplier to confirm the source of the wood.

Using pressure-treated wood, for example, is not recommended as it could contain chromated copper arsenate (CCA). The pesticide CCA is carcinogenic and toxic, and can leach arsenic into the soil. High levels of arsenic in the garden can cause skin lesions, cancer, and lung disease. In addition, colored rubber mulch is also not recommended for gardens, as it contains toxins and chemicals.

Dyes used for wood are commonly either carbon-based or iron-oxide-based. These are similar to the types of dyes used in ink and cosmetics and are not considered toxic.

So, as long as the colored mulch isn't sourced from recycled wood or rubber, it is safe to use in your garden.

1 Try Red to Catch the Eye

Improve the yield of your vegetable crops

For vibrant colorful mulch that is ideal for landscaping without flowers, consider red. It is a stunning color to line walkways (a great alternative to landscaping rock) and it's ideal to pair with white and yellow flowers, which pop against the red. In addition to improving your landscaping design, red is especially beneficial around the base of tomatoes.

Red mulch increases the yields of tomatoes by up to 20 percent when compared with black. Basil, strawberries, eggplants, and peppers have also shown increased size and yield with red mulch.

2 Black Has a Modern Look

A contemporary landscape design

Add a crisp and sharp look to your landscaping design and the edges of your garden with black! While not colorful mulch itself, the contrast of the black can really help to make your garden and flowers stand out. It's an excellent choice for modern and contemporary designs and pairs well with green foliage plants, such as hostas, ferns, and caladiums.

Black mulching tends to be one of the most economical and popular options out there, so it should be easy to source. It is an excellent alternative to rubber mulch (with a similar look) that is safe to use in your garden beds.

3 Brown and Natural Options

A staple for the vegetable garden and trees

Natural mulch is often made of pine or cedar, so it is usually a white or light yellow color. Straw is another natural option that is a similar color. Natural wood chips and straw are ideal for the vegetable or herb garden, but also work well for softening the landscaping design of walkways, fire pits, and seating areas because of their natural cushioning properties.

Dyed brown mulch, on the other hand, is often Infra-Red Transmitting (IRT), which means that it reduces the amount of light, and therefore helps to prevent weed growth. Not all dyed brown mulch is IRT, however, so it's always good to check the label. Brown adds a nice natural touch with a darker color, a look that some gardeners prefer for enhancing landscaping without flowers.

4 Rubber Is a Practical Choice

Create a safe space

Rubber is a popular material that comes in a range of colorful mulch options, including black, red, brown, blue, and green. It is a great landscaping design choice that can be used beneath play areas, and anywhere else you want a cushioning effect.

• For those looking for a softer alternative to landscaping rock, consider rubber! In comparison with wood, rubber mulch (made from recycled tires) does not break down, so it maintains its color over time.
• However, rubber contains toxins and chemicals, including zinc, which can affect the health of your soil. These types of heavy metals can reduce seed germination, affect nutrient uptake, and impede photosynthesis.
• Do not use rubber for your garden or flower beds, and contain rubber mulch with a wood or brick border to prevent it from moving into the surrounding lawn.

5 Cocoa Bean Shells Are Aromatic

Go organic with your landscape design

Cocoa bean shells are a neat landscaping design option that not only looks aesthetically pleasing but also adds an aromatic scent to match. It is a weed-free and organic option that has many benefits for the garden, including adding vital nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The chocolate-brown shells are also a stunning alternative to brown wood that makes brightening your landscaping without flowers fun.

Other organic colorful mulch options include pine needles, fallen leaves, and mushroom compost.

Cocoa bean shells, a byproduct of cocoa, are toxic to dogs.

6 Rock Designs Last Longer

Improve drainage with a rock garden

Landscaping rock is a fantastic alternative to traditional mulches. While rock is generally more expensive than other options, it lasts longer. Rock doesn't break down, which means once you lay your beds, it will stay in place for years. Landscaping rock also doesn't attract bugs and pests, like wood does when it decays.

7 Recycled Tumbled Glass

Lay a rainbow of colors

As a substitute for traditional landscaping rock, consider a truly colorful mulch option with recycled tumbled glass. While it isn't organic, tumbled glass is often made from recycled glass and comes in an array of colors from blue and green to yellow that don't fade over time. Similar to rock, glass is an ideal landscaping design for plants that tolerates dry, rocky, and/or sandy soil.

Recycled tumbled glass also makes a stunning focal point for those artistically inclined or as an edging around garden beds. Landscaping without flowers is easy with glass, as you can create a rainbow of colors.

Tumbled glass is not rough or sharp, but rather smooth and polished.

8 Seashells Add Texture

Bring a taste of the sea to your garden

For a creative and unique way to embrace brightening your landscaping without flowers, why not bring the sea to your garden? Especially for those who live near the ocean, crushed seashells are a great option for colorful mulch. And for a magical seaside vibe, mix it in with a few whole seashells as well.

While it takes a while for the shells to decompose, when the shells do break down, they also add vital nutrients to your garden, including nitrogen, calcium, and magnesium.

Say it With Mulch: Brighten Your Landscape

Whether you prefer the classic wooden options or you want to embrace a more modern aesthetic with rubber or seashell, there are a variety of colorful mulch options to brighten the landscaping without flowers. Red can improve the yield of certain vegetable crops, while cocoa bean and seashell add vital nutrients to the garden. Landscaping rock and glass, on the other hand, is better for landscaping design, as well as for succulent plants. Rubber mulch is also a popular recycled product that creates cushioned, safe spaces.

So, what are you waiting for? Spring and fall are the best times to get out in the garden and mulch!