Mulch Questions

JaneG · Post by **JaneG** » Jun 02, 2008 11:12 pm

I've got new beds going in and want to use shredded hardwood mulch so that it will break down and feed the soil and I can refresh it every year or so. I also think it looks better than the big wood chunk mulch. The area is too big for expensive compost and I can't make nearly enough compost to do the whole bed, so I will compost around the plants, but not the entire bed.

My DH says he doesn't want me to use the shredded hardwood mulch because he thinks it will become a feeding bed for ants. He says this because the ants get in the woodpile and eat the wood, so he says they will enjoy an entire bed of this wood mulch and we will have more ant problems.

Is this really a concern and what type of mulch do you recommend? By the way, this bed is WAY far away from the house, so no worries about them getting in the house foundation.

I have used the big chunky cypress mulch in the past, but it NEVER breaks down and ends up looking bad.

Thanks for your input!

Mary Ann · Post by **Mary Ann** » Jun 03, 2008 8:50 am

Ants like dry conditions like a wood pile, not the moist conditions in your garden beds. I use a lot of triple ground hardwood mulch, don't find any ants in there.

Gardentoad · Post by **Gardentoad** » Jun 03, 2008 8:57 am

I get more ants in the area that have gravel in them.
In my mulched areas I find them under the rocks that I use to write the mames of my plants.
Ants don't consume wood like termites. They can tunnel through wood but they leave a pile of shavings.Carpenter ants want a solid piece of wood, not shredded.
Termites also prefer solid pieces because they want to stay in the dark. When they do venture outside of the wood they build mud tunnels.

I have used both large bark chunk type mulch and shredded mulch and haven't found any difference in the ant population. I did however find that I had more slugs with the large chunks.
I am not an entomologist, this is just my observations as a gardener here in Indiana. It may be different where you are located. I have no experiance with southern ants.

kHT · Post by **kHT** » Jun 03, 2008 10:14 am

I have to agree with what has been stated. We just put out 16 cu yards of pine mulch and know just how expensive that is. We do this about every 4 years and the soil/plants love it if you do it right, not to thick. Ants will not live in it, dry conditions for their living.