Heavy rains in SoCal - What are you using for mulch?

[Christopher Dillman]

Curious what you're all using for mulch around the established palms. I'd like to put something down to keep that moisture in (break in rains atm..)

Can't make it to my local recycling center for the good stuff/wood chips this month, so here are my options ..

> GroMulch
> Compost w humic acid
> Other?

[quaman58]

For years, I used the mulch that was provided free at the landfill. It did the job, although it is admittedly not the most attractive due to the inconsistent size differential of the particles. Since we had the front and backyard irrigation installed, the landscaper laid down medium grade redwood bark. The good news is it keeps the weeds down, and looks attractive. The bad news is it really doesn’t break down nearly as quickly as some of the other mulches do. So it’s definitely not going to turn into compost as quickly as the stuff that I used to get from the landfill. 

[Harry’s Palms]

I use bags of wood chips from the big box store . We’ve been using it for a long time and it lasts for about a year . We usually add and mix in some top soil mix prior to replenishing the wood chips. I mix it in with my hand claw . Harry

[Aloha Palms]

I use a layer of gromulch first and then a layer of cedar mulch. The gromulch has compost in it and the cedar mulch looks good and breaks down fairly quickly.

[Christopher Dillman]

Like the choices so far ..

Curious there are no votes for the compost w humic acid as mulch. I put that down because at my local Armstrongs there's a gardener there who swears by it. And says it's way better than GroMulch.

Need a second opinion on that, because last time I used compost on my philodendron it almost destroyed it. 

[Phoenikakias]

3 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

I use bags of wood chips from the big box store . We’ve been using it for a long time and it lasts for about a year . We usually add and mix in some top soil mix prior to replenishing the wood chips. I mix it in with my hand claw . Harry

How large are the chips and is their size of some importance?

[Harry’s Palms]

I think , the small or medium sized chips break down a bit quicker than larger wood chips. Mixing in an organic garden top soil prior to putting down the chips would help the absorption while the wood chips help with retention in dryer months , perhaps insulate in colder months . I use a coarse or larger wood chip here in my climate and it begins to break down within a year. Harry