Post AWtWhtKwYnQRWkkZoe by jbenjamint@mastodon.scot
(DIR) More posts by jbenjamint@mastodon.scot
(DIR) Post #AWtVXS8ajQ4UJvQnYW by grammargirl@zirk.us
2023-06-20T20:52:24Z
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I need to buy mulch, and bits of recycled rubber is an option. Would that be a good choice for the environment because I'm creating demand for a recycled product, or a bad choice for the environment because it will never decompose? I"m so confused.#gardening
(DIR) Post #AWtViqgLoeZJd4ejC4 by Catelli@mstdn.ca
2023-06-20T20:54:28Z
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@grammargirl This says exactly what I think about that (confirmation bias?)https://sweetpeetohio.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-rubber-mulch/
(DIR) Post #AWtVl9RP2ea0O7lJFQ by bike@regenerate.social
2023-06-20T20:54:54Z
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@grammargirl Are there any arborists near you? They might drop off a load of chips for free (tips encouraged), just be sure to ask to not get a diseased tree.
(DIR) Post #AWtVpqzr2q2qdF7Qqe by BluRae@artisan.chat
2023-06-20T20:55:44Z
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@grammargirl Natural mulch will improve the quality of your soil over time while rubber mulch will not.
(DIR) Post #AWtW3uKXRn7h1cUkVs by chrisU@mstdn.social
2023-06-20T20:58:17Z
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@grammargirl Good to have mulch that breaks down. Pea straw, autumn leaves, wood chips all work for me
(DIR) Post #AWtW6Xl5pCDRtBAl28 by mlanger@mastodon.world
2023-06-20T20:58:47Z
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@grammargirl I think it's a good choice if you use it in a place that it never has to decompose. For example, I used it on either side of the walkway that runs under my front deck. I don't want it decomposing, I don't want weeds in there. I just want the "mulch.”Drawback: my outdoor cats use it as a litter box in the winter because it's one of the few places they can "dig.” But they'd do that with regular mulch, too.
(DIR) Post #AWtW7lZLxjz10mGSHo by dko@infosec.exchange
2023-06-20T20:59:00Z
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@grammargirl Hope this helps despite not being a direct answer - Chipdrop is free, with strings about availability and what you get. https://dailyimprovisations.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-free-mulch-from-chip-drop/
(DIR) Post #AWtWAwlYmznkbgUUAC by Ginafla@tooting.ch
2023-06-20T20:59:29Z
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@grammargirl Over time, these little bits of rubber make their way into the ocean where they are ingested by fish.
(DIR) Post #AWtWLutu46WG0TckZk by aka_quant_noir@cinematheque.social
2023-06-20T21:01:25Z
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@grammargirl if it doesn't decompose, it's not mulch. Good grief the nerve of companies mixing toxins into what's going to be your soil, and your food. Don't buy their bs!Likewise, if something can't or won't be fully returned to the beginning of the product stream, it's not recyclable. And if not, it shouldn't be manufactured. And toxins never should.
(DIR) Post #AWtWMLG845kLkwDrpQ by gladsdotter@mastodon.world
2023-06-20T21:01:37Z
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@grammargirl https://www.thespruce.com/is-rubber-mulch-safe-for-plants-2131985
(DIR) Post #AWtWTeZceXVJgZpKbY by mfindley@toot.bldrweb.org
2023-06-20T21:02:50Z
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@grammargirl it may make sense to check if shredded bits of steel radial belts are present in the recycled rubber as part of your evaluation.
(DIR) Post #AWtWdefPA2WSs3IhhA by gladsdotter@mastodon.world
2023-06-20T21:04:31Z
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@grammargirl https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315662981_Rubber_mulch_use_in_home_landscapes_WSU_Extension_Fact_Sheet_FS163E
(DIR) Post #AWtWfmkG64pyVKaRaS by Helengraham@ieji.de
2023-06-20T21:05:09Z
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@grammargirl I wouldnt use it unless its to create areas where you never want to have anything grow such as paths .But at least its using the rubber which exists and is waste .I buy hand painted fair trade planters that are made from recycled car tyres.But by far the best use I have seen is using tyres to build a beautiful house using straw bales and old tyres. Considering how many new homes are needed in some places it would be a perfect use for them in lots of places in the world
(DIR) Post #AWtWhtKwYnQRWkkZoe by jbenjamint@mastodon.scot
2023-06-20T21:05:32Z
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@grammargirl I take it the rubber is not natural rubber but an oil by-product?
(DIR) Post #AWtWjcchfiD2Goslqy by sindarina@ngmx.com
2023-06-20T21:05:49Z
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@grammargirl I think you might be OK as long as you don’t mix it with recycled bits of road? 🤔😜
(DIR) Post #AWtXbjNSmAV6r6YTOC by bsmaalders@mas.to
2023-06-20T21:15:34Z
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@grammargirl You may wish to look for shredded & composted yard waste. Many of the chemicals in tires are proprietary and have had little testing for safety outside of exposure during tire construction. Recently it was discovered that tire wear compounds were affecting salmon in the Pacific Northwest: https://ecology.wa.gov/Blog/Posts/January-2023/Saving-Washington-s-salmon-from-toxic-tire-dust
(DIR) Post #AWtXcAmurdu5rrfgJM by bhawthorne@infosec.exchange
2023-06-20T21:15:38Z
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@grammargirl Depends on why you want the mulch? If it is to keep weeds down, a section-thick layer of newspaper covered with a a thick layer of shredded leaves works much better. Wood chips will reduce nitrogen availability as the decomposers break them down and use up carbon from the soil.
(DIR) Post #AWtXok4DWVbwl6kzvk by littleizzy@birds.town
2023-06-20T21:17:56Z
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@grammargirl I use pine straw (big block of pine needles) that I get from the local nursery. I find that works better than anything for my garden because it keeps things moist, insulates for cold/heat, and breaks down to make my dirt better. I'd avoid the rubber.
(DIR) Post #AWtZHT3JxgAeLEbCym by wormerama@ecoevo.social
2023-06-20T21:34:19Z
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@grammargirl would it not leave bits of rubber in the soil for ever afterwards? Once it’s down I think it’d be hard to change your mind.
(DIR) Post #AWtasZXYu31B8E077I by grammargirl@zirk.us
2023-06-20T21:52:16Z
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Thanks, everyone!This is for a strip that currently has gravel and a few hearty succulents, so no food or soil worries, but you have all convinced me the rubber mulch still isn't a good idea.
(DIR) Post #AWtaxojrp4yDiVG1uy by neekerbreeker@mastodon.green
2023-06-20T21:53:12Z
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@grammargirl Great question! Without researching I went with "Good" but...Factors might include how long the user plans to be in their current home/garden, and their willingness to rake up the rubber bits and keep reusing. It also might depend on the type of plants, location, and soil. Nothing is ever easy, haha!
(DIR) Post #AWtbo04cvQkxvgqmuG by Axomamma@mastodon.online
2023-06-20T22:02:36Z
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@grammargirl I had a big plot in the Fenway Victory Gardens for over a decade. The parks department dumped wood chips in giant piles for us to use. I've heard that some towns have them available for residents. They make glorious paths - soft and bouncy, and they compost down so you can dig them out every few years, use the new dirt and refill the paths with new chips.
(DIR) Post #AWtc0C0sMOxSQyuT1E by nomdeb@mstdn.social
2023-06-20T22:04:37Z
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@grammargirl This year I'm trying coconut husk mulch that Costco sells. I'm finding it easy to use (it's dehydrated so easier to get to where I want it) and I quite like the dried color - it's reddish when wet) and as I lived in India for many years, I like the India feel to it. There are pros and cons to it. So far I'm liking it. TBC how well it works and if I've overlooked anything about it. This year I put cardboard in areas I just wanted mulch without plants. We have acres, so it's a chore.
(DIR) Post #AWtd3Zzzjp4LeDg0Tw by davidhooper@podcastindex.social
2023-06-20T22:16:38Z
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@grammargirl I've used the recycled rubber in the past. In theory, this product lasts longer than traditional mulch, so that's something to consider as an upside. Not just the product itself, but distribution, packaging, etc.With this said, I didn't have good luck with the rubber mulch. And there are obviously some downsides. Leaching, no nutrients for the soil, etc.
(DIR) Post #AWthdJ8kIPKjbQ3srg by mykl@infosec.exchange
2023-06-20T23:07:55Z
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@grammargirl it is not so much, the rubber, as it is all the other carcinogens along with it
(DIR) Post #AWtkA9y1caBOcMq8p6 by mlanger@mastodon.world
2023-06-20T23:36:18Z
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@grammargirl Agreed that if you're putting it around plants, it's not the right choice. You WANT something biodegradable there. No?
(DIR) Post #AWu2ZBagWKMM4G0QAi by jblue@mastodon.world
2023-06-21T03:02:31Z
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@grammargirl https://getchipdrop.com/ you can sign up here to get free chip drops from local arborists. ❤️
(DIR) Post #AWuM9aOdfXVUYURSBU by maco@wandering.shop
2023-06-21T06:41:58Z
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@grammargirl that just sounds like littering