DIY enthusiasts often gravitate toward rubber mulch as a convenient, durable option that lasts a long time, but one Redditor received a talking-to for their decision when they came to the platform seeking advice.
In a recent Reddit post to r/landscaping, one homeowner shared photos of their brand-new landscape featuring rubber mulch between late August and the end of October.
The homeowner explained they have huge pine trees, already removing four of them and cutting the bottom limbs off others in an attempt to decrease pine needles.
"Does anyone have any tips to remove the needles efficiently and without losing much mulch in the process?" the homeowner asked.
The original poster's question is problematic for several reasons. For starters, mulches made of rubber and other non-organic materials often do considerably more harm than good for your natural landscape in terms of cost, time, and environmental impact.
One r/landscaping follower criticized the OP for literally cutting down pine trees because they dropped needles. Pine trees' dense foliage offers wonderful habitats for local wildlife while promoting clean air, erosion control, and natural windbreaks.
The OP said the pine trees had grown to be about 60 feet tall over the past 25 years.
There is also the issue of using rubber mulch in the first place. Even though the OP has a landscaping background, they just went with it because that's what their mom decided upon.
"I landscaped all through high school, so it almost feels sacrilegious to have," the OP admitted.
🗣️ What's the hardest thing about taking care of your yard?
🔘 Mowing the lawn 🏡
🔘 Controlling weeds 🌿
🔘 Keeping pests at bay 🐿️
🔘 I don't have a yard 🤷
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Rubber mulch is a poor option for maintaining a healthy, natural lawn. It's not effective for weed control, it gets extremely hot on sunny days, and it can create health issues for your family.
Meanwhile, it degrades over time and leaves synthetic, non-biodegradable microparticles behind in the soil, where it can harm plants. Rubber mulch also doesn't offer any of the benefits of natural mulches, such as enriching the soil with nutrients so plants can grow.
Better alternatives to rubber mulch are wood chips, fall leaves, and, actually, the pine needles the OP was trying to remove.
It's also important to avoid mulch volcanoes to keep tree roots healthy, as well as landscaping fabric that degrades over time.
One Reddit user suggested "leaf blower on low at a 45-degree angle" to address the OP's question about removing the pine needles.
Yet another Redditor commented, "Rubber mulch is so gross. Pine needles are nature's mulch. People pay for pine mulch."
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