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Advance Mulch is there a difference?

Posted by paulsiu (My Page) on
Tue, May 10, 11 at 7:47

At the store, I notice that Scott sells a Nature Scape Mulch with Water Smart. Supposedly, the Mulch is treated with a polymer that doesn't repel water. The idea is that with regular mulch, the water may bead and run off before it reaches the plant.

Frankly, I am skeptical, I did buy a bag for my father-in-law (who's a big fan of Scott's product) and a regular bag of mulch. I am going to put down some side to side later on to see if there are differences.

Does anyone have experience with different mulches and whether there is even a differences (other than how fine they cut up the wood).

Thanks.

Paul


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: Advance Mulch is there a difference?

Whatever it is, if the label says Scotts, I would avoid it. Figures some golf course mentality idiot up there in some office thinks it's possible to add some type of synthetic substance to improve upon mother nature's processes. Might be good if you're trying to keep your plastic or silk flowers looking healthy!


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RE: Advance Mulch is there a difference?

It probably works as advertized. There is a valid issue with mulch preventing water penetration, so it's a solution to that issue. But the idea is known as Valued Added. If it costs $0.01 to treat a unit of mulch with polymer, then the additional charge for that unit may be $0.10. It's good for their bottom line, not yours. Fair Trade coffee does the same kind of thing.

Here is a link that might be useful: Polymer


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RE: Advance Mulch is there a difference?

In some 50 years of gardening and mulching the planting beds in all that time I have never seen a problme with the mulches keeping water from getting to the soil. Spending money on a mulch treated to prevent water repellance is not something I consider worthwhile.


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