Living trees would be more damaging than logs, as they are still producing the toxins whereas logs only have a finite supply. Cedar mulch also repels pollinators and beneficial insects; this is the flip side of its pest control qualities: it will also affect the ecosystem negatively, and, especially if you want your plants to fruit or produce seeds, cedar mulch is not a good choice.

Dear hubby thought that planting in a kids wading pool was a neat idea until we had problems with sickly plants. Another note about composting, from one place to the next, composting is likely to act a bit different. In a cool dry climate, cedar shavings might act more like fossils in a compost pile and would perhaps be better avoided. Depending on your pet, it would be wise to consult your veterinarian before using this product to ensure it’s safe for them.Mulch can act as a pest control method; not all mulch is equal at this, and cedar mulch is actually the best. However, even some of the pelleted products can be used as a substrate or bedding for rodents, especially as a cage liner with some softer bedding provided as a top layer. We offer the installation of cedar chips for properties located in and around Happy Valley, Gresham, and Troutdale, OR.

Cedars are evergreen trees that are commonly found in the US, growing in USDA hardiness zones 7 to 9. Plants belonging to the genus "Cedrus" are part of the plant family (Pinaceae) which includes fir, hemlock, pine and spruce.Most commonly, it is used for water retention, weed inhibition, soil insulation, improving the look of beds, and repelling insects. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. But Linda Chalker-Scott, an extension horticulturist at Washington state University, reports: “there is virtually no documented evidence for allelopathic activity in either Thuja or Cedrus spp. Some property owners are hesitant to use cedar chips in their landscape beds because they lose their color and repellent qualities relatively quickly. Some of the harder pellet products might be better used in the litter box of a ferret or a rabbit, while the softer types of bedding or litter are good for the smaller pets that need their cage bottom filled, like hamsters.

The exception to this is if the mulch gets mixed into the layers of the soil, in which case it can deplete nitrogen levels near roots and have negative effects. This happens with all woody plants and can deplete the soil nitrogen levels so that the nutrients aren’t available to feed the plant and help with its growth. So, part of the organic revolution is the understanding that if you want fertile soil, you need covered soil.The resin in the cedar makes it smell nice, gives it resistance to decay, repels some insects (particularly fleas and moths), and has some allelopathic properties, not just to plants, but to the microbes in your compost heap. Personalised advertising may be considered a “sale” or “sharing” of information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have a right to opt out. Cedar mulch can be used with well established plants; there is a degree of safety on this that, at this moment in time, can be trusted. I know people say not to use cedar planks for raised beds because something in the wood inhibits some plant growth.