Using Landscape Bark Versus Hardwood Chips

Using Landscape Bark Versus Hardwood Chips

Mulch materials such as hardwood chips and barks are widely used around trees, shrubs, and flower beds. These mulching materials help suppress weed, moderate soil temperature, retain soil moisture, and prevent compaction while also adding the decorative touch you want on your landscape. Each of these mulch products has its own cons and pros depending on the landscape and needs.

Using Softwood Bark Mulch

Landscape Bark product is obtained from the barks of softwood trees for example spruce, fir, pine, and redwood. You will find it used in homes as a decorative mulching material. Landscape Bark comes in different sizes and it is processed into granules, chunks, or shredded material. If you prefer using bark, you may want to know that bark chunks last longer compared to granules or shredded products.

Using Hardwood Chips

These are made from chipped wood of hardwood species like maple and oak. While hardwood chips are good mulching materials, they may not provide the decorations you want such as the way landscape barks do. Landscape barks can retain their color for many seasons while hardwood chips may fade fast giving a gray, weathered look.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Using bark mulches helps resist compaction because they will not blow away easily and they allow water to penetrate easily into the soil. Since bark mulches are attractive, they will allow you to get the landscape color and texture you want. Wood chips may not compact easily as other materials, so they are recommended for suppressing weeds.

If you are out to seek mulching products, you may want to try out hardwood chips or landscape barks. Make sure you understand the benefits and disadvantages of using one over the other. North County Supply comes in handy if you want to get mulch products for your gardens and landscapes. Get quality landscaping products that you can rely on.