I used it once in my front flower bed and it disappeared like wood mulch.

Only thought about it. Subsequent research showed people complaining of bad smells from it. In addition, it would be very hard to keep clean from debris from leaves, stc.

Here’s a recent discussion that leans heavily against it:

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/6255594/rubber-mulch-anyone#n=26

Mine are still in place after several years. Still same color. Rubber mulch makes up only 5% of my mulch.

"It does not decompose. Rubber mulch is not organic, so it does not decompose and will not provide the soil with organic material. It contains chemical residues which can be harmful to plants." https://rubbermulch.com/blogs/rubbermulch/31581761-the-pros-and-cons-of-a-rubber-mulch-garden

Scroll down to read the cons.

I used brown rubber mulch in a small area at the riverhouse. It has stayed in place despite frequent windy conditions.It does not seem to have faded. No weeds have grown in it either. I did not notice any odors when I layed it down. It must be there for at least 10 years.

I put it around my raised beds in what is a walkway area. I don't think I would use it around plants. It is more expensive than bark mulch. I needed 15 bags but they were having a sale at Sam's club. I bought it there with curbside pickup and they loaded it into my Explorer.

I haven’t used it. I have used carpet, and have regretted it. Weed seeds land on top so you still get weeds…only rubber won’t decompose so you can’t keep adding a higher mound of rubber mulch. At least with wood mulch you can add more to keep the weeds down and it adds some goodness to your soil. I think in the end these synthetic mulches will be more work.

So true about the weed seeds landing on top and growing! This is FL, where everywhere wants to be a jungle.

And I thought rubber mulches were basically ground up tires - why put old tires in your yard?

We had some in our park, under the children's swings - it was gross and has basically contaminated the soil for yards beyond the original area.

If I had to use some, I would opt for the bonded mats instead of a million loose bits.

P.S. Pine bark mulch lasts a lot longer than the other woody mulches and looks very nice too.

I just wanted it for the looks not for a weed barrier, do you think it will work for that? Is it still not a good idea?

What sort of rubber mulch? The sort that disappeared like wood-scares me. Now that yuck is in the soil poisoning the area. Certain rubber compounds break down in direct sun. Never ever would I use that sort. If it stays as laid never leaching anything into the soil and you fully know it is not truly mulch (Mulch is organic debris that will discourage weeds while improving the soil as it degrades) then sure if you really think that looks good. I think I might try river rock instead as it has a natural organic look and won't blow away of you need to use a blower to clean it of sticks and leaves.

Best to check out exactly what "rubber mulch" is made from and how it can effect the environment.

Would you want this spread around in your yard?

I would never use it. Many good reasons not to. Nasty stuff.

Ten or so years ago, I made the mistake of using rubber mulch around a couple of fruit trees in our field. I wanted to try it to cut down on the work. The trees died. The remainder of the fruit trees without rubber mulch thrived.

I had the soil tested after the trees died and the one thing that I remember was the lead content was sky high. We excavated two significant holes, retested the soil to be sure we had removed the contaminated soil and filled with clean soil. We were very fortunate that we acted fast before the contamination permeated more of the soil.

Never again.

Thank you all, I think I will keep looking. I saw some Lava rock today. I may try it. Any thoughts?

Never!

You are growing in Florida. Do you know how hot rubber would get in Florida sun. I would never consider it, I would think it would burn the roots of whatever it was near. Rock isn't much better as it also heats up in the sun and really doesn't provide a good weed barrier.

Just use wood mulch, (as I do) and replace it every year.

Jane

What I'd do, is take a small sample of your "nasty mulch" in a plastic baggie to a local garden center. Show them exactly what you do not like about it. Show them a picture on your phone of the mulched area. Ask them what would work better for you.

(I put 'nasty' in quotes because that's what you called it, but is it -- faded? bad smell? full of weeds? full of ants? mushy? ??? -- that's why you need to consult a local expert. You have a problem that a different type of mulch might not fix.)

No rubber, no cypress. I only use renewable pine straw.

Rubber mulches made from recycled tires are not recommended by UF/IFAS. They are generally less effective than organic mulches in suppressing weeds. This recycled material also absorbs heat, leading to extremely high temperatures in the ground beneath. Finally, some UF/IFAS Extension staff are concerned about the possibility of toxic chemicals leaching into the soil as the material slowly degrades.

https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/planting/mulch.html

Have you tried pine bark mulch before? It really breaks down a lot more slowly than regular shredded wood mulches, and looks very attractive too, IMO.

They redid the landscaping and our butterfly garden at the rec center where I work and used pine bark to mulch everything. I love how it looks.

I just bought some chopped coconut fiber mulch (organic, whatever that means,) at Costco. It comes in compressed blocks which you hydrate to soften and spread out. We shall see how well it works in keeping weeds down, and especially in lowering water needs.