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Texas Gardening

Cedar Mulch Brands?

12 years ago

This question is directed to those of you with experience using Scotchman's Choice Cedar Mulch (Home Depot) and Texas Native Cedar Mulch (Lowe's).

Is there a noticeable color difference between the two after it's been out of the bag for a few hours?

Long story short ... I put 30 bags of the Scotchman's in about a third of our front flower bed over the weekend. I need 185 bags to finish off the entire front, back and side yards. After researching bulk vs bagged ... the cheapest way to go is bagged. Lowe's is scheduled to deliver 185 bags of Texas Native tomorrow morning. I took a sample of to Lowe's before I purchased to compare. The consistency and size was the same ... but the Texas Native seemed darker brown rather than a nice golden tan. I assumed it was because it was still wet ... but it seems like the Scotchman's was tan even when it was wet.

Now I'm worried I've spent quite a bit of money and will have two completely different colors of mulch. I'm debating on whether or not I should cancel the Lowe's order and go back to Home Depot even though it's going to be more expensive?

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Comments (5)

plantmaven
12 years ago
In a few months you won't be able to tell much of a difference. And when the temps get really high, you won't care.
plantmaven
12 years ago
Maybe you could sprinkle a little of the cheaper over the first you put down and you would not notice the difference.

I bought one brand and my sister the darker one. My thought was the darker might absorb more heat.

It was 97 degrees here today. What part of the state are you? Duh stupid question, the whole state is hot.

Kathy
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jasander77
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks for the responses.

We decided to go ahead and still have it delivered due to the price. We finished off the flower bed in question last night and there's quite a difference in initial color and smell. The Texas Native is MUCH darker. It becomes lighter after a good hose down ... but still not the same color. :( It looks great and terrible at the same time. I think we're going to put a light layer down over the original color. Hopefully that'll work ... but we still like the color and aroma of the Scotchman's much better.

We're east of Dallas in the Forney area.
lou_spicewood_tx
12 years ago
They both seem to be different. Scotchman's is (at least for me) fresh ones while Texas Native is aged type. I prefer aged type or just plain regular hardwood mulch so they break down rather fast and easily by end of fall to improve soil. Fresh cedar mulch breaks down very slowly... Not what I want if I wanted soil to improve rapidly.

It depends on what your goals are.
gpops
12 years ago
Color of cedar mulch.
The product from October through mid May is generally finer shredded and contains more wood of red cedar color. As demand increases in the late spring and early summer the product has larger chunks and more white wood. After the product on hand at the garden centers sells out in the late summer the new shipments in the autumn resume with the darker and finer shredded material. (Best to buy in February through March)

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