Rubber mulch - your thoughts (Dallas: organic, live in, restaurant)

[calmdude]

'tis that time again and would like input about the performance of rubber mulch in the Dallas area. It has many advantages (cheaper in long run, will generally not drift, colors guranteed for 8-15 yrs etc). Consumer Reports article favors it over wood mulch.
Googling, found some articles that claim rubber mulch leaches zinc back into the soil, stinks in summer heat and may be a fire hazard.

What are your thoughts or experiences for using it in the DFW area? Specifically, my concerns relate to the stink (in DFW summer temperatures) and fire hazard.
Thx

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by calmdude

'tis that time again and would like input about the performance of rubber mulch in the Dallas area. It has many advantages (cheaper in long run, will generally not drift, colors guranteed for 8-15 yrs etc). Consumer Reports article favors it over wood mulch.
Googling, found some articles that claim rubber mulch leaches zinc back into the soil, stinks in summer heat and may be a fire hazard.

What are your thoughts or experiences for using it in the DFW area? Specifically, my concerns relate to the stink (in DFW summer temperatures) and fire hazard.
Thx

Don't know about it stinking or being a fire hazard, but to me it just sounds like something I wouldn't want in my (organic) garden. I don't see how it wouldn't put yucky chemicals into the soil. I certainly wouldn't put it around any edibles, but that's just me.

[BlosmTX]

My neighbors have it, and I think it looks great! I'm thinking about putting it down in my own flower beds.
I've never noticed an odor from it in the summer heat, but I bet if it's hot enough outside to make rubber stink, I'm probably inside enjoying the A/C.

[calmdude]

Originally Posted by TXNGL

Don't know about it stinking or being a fire hazard, but to me it just sounds like something I wouldn't want in my (organic) garden. I don't see how it wouldn't put yucky chemicals into the soil. I certainly wouldn't put it around any edibles, but that's just me.

I need to do some more digging into the chemical leaching into the soil - this and the claimed fire hazard part bothers me more than the smell problem.

Originally Posted by BlosmTX

My neighbors have it, and I think it looks great! I'm thinking about putting it down in my own flower beds.
I've never noticed an odor from it in the summer heat, but I bet if it's hot enough outside to make rubber stink, I'm probably inside enjoying the A/C.

In my case, generally I will be "passing by" the mulch and not hanging around it.... is the smell tolerable for such limited exposures?

[jdub2447]

I'm not in DFW yet, but I am in an area that gets ridiculously hot and ubearably humid, Fort Myers, FL. There was a Smokey Bones BBQ Restaurant here that I used to go to all the time, and they had rubber mulch outside their restaurant. I never once noticed an odd smell. It could've been that the smokey smell emanating from the restaurant was enough to over power any unpleasant aromas from the rubber, but I doubt it. I'd be more concerned about the chemicals leaching into the ground....Especially if you have any edibles in your yard.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

I've read that it can heat up the soil so much in the summer that some plants die from it.

[REmOjO]

Originally Posted by calmdude

'tis that time again and would like input about the performance of rubber mulch in the Dallas area. It has many advantages (cheaper in long run, will generally not drift, colors guranteed for 8-15 yrs etc). Consumer Reports article favors it over wood mulch.
Googling, found some articles that claim rubber mulch leaches zinc back into the soil, stinks in summer heat and may be a fire hazard.

What are your thoughts or experiences for using it in the DFW area? Specifically, my concerns relate to the stink (in DFW summer temperatures) and fire hazard.
Thx

After using the black visqueen/polyethylene as a mulch, I will never use anything but wood mulch again. In Texas, the ants are plentiful, and when it rains, they come out of their holes in the ground and make mounds, and they will put holes through any barrier. Waste your money on rubber or other artificial mulch if you care, but don't be surprised when the ants tear those up. With wood mulch it's easy to treat the ants/mounds, knock the mounds down, and put some new mulch over the area.

[calmdude]

Thanks for the replies. Here are more conflicting claims:

from sellers: Rubber Mulch - FAQ's
from nature's way: http://www.natureswayresources.com/D...ubberMulch.pdf

[ETex2]

Originally Posted by calmdude

'tis that time again and would like input about the performance of rubber mulch in the Dallas area. It has many advantages (cheaper in long run, will generally not drift, colors guranteed for 8-15 yrs etc). Consumer Reports article favors it over wood mulch.
Googling, found some articles that claim rubber mulch leaches zinc back into the soil, stinks in summer heat and may be a fire hazard.

What are your thoughts or experiences for using it in the DFW area? Specifically, my concerns relate to the stink (in DFW summer temperatures) and fire hazard.
Thx

I don't think it's too popular here. We have friends in Phoenix who live in a very expensive house. Their back yard is 100% rubber mulch (painted green) except for the cool deck and pool. We were there in November and it stunk even then. Of course it was close to 90 degrees (this is Phoenix after all). They didn't like it and were going to replace it.

[calmdude]

Originally Posted by ETex2

I don't think it's too popular here. We have friends in Phoenix who live in a very expensive house. Their back yard is 100% rubber mulch (painted green) except for the cool deck and pool. We were there in November and it stunk even then. Of course it was close to 90 degrees (this is Phoenix after all). They didn't like it and were going to replace it.

Some manufacturers claim the stink will go away in a few days ('much like a new shower curtain smell"). But if it stinks at 90 F, it may even more here. Do you know if your Phoenix friends had put it in just before your trip or was it a few months ago?