MULCH

MULCH

Landscapers Guide
Guide to
to
AA Landscapers

MULCH
Save Money,
Money, Control
Control Weeds,
Weeds, and
and
Save
Create Healthy
Healthy Landscapes
Landscapes
Create

Mulch
Y

is any material spread evenly over the surface of

the soil to enhance the growth of plants and the
appearance of the landscape.

ou can create beautiful, healthy landscapes that control weeds, conserve water, and reduce
labor costs by using plant trimmings as mulch. Tree prunings, brush, grass clippings, and
leaves that are chipped or shredded are called green waste mulch.

In nature, leaves and needles fall to the ground, creating an organic layer that protects and
builds the soil. Local green waste mulch can offer the same advantage to the landscapes you
maintain while increasing your prots. Using green waste mulch recycles plant material into a
valuable tool for the professional landscaper.

Save Time & Money

Using mulch can simplify your maintenance
operations by:

Cutting weed growth, especially annuals by

as much as 90 percent, signicantly reducing
labor costs.
Decreasing the costs of buying and applying
herbicides.
Reducing the need for trimming grass around
trees and poles.
Conserving water and cutting the cost of
irrigation.

Making your own mulch on site also saves the time

and cost of trucking plant debris to the landll as well
as the expense of buying and transporting commercial
mulches.

Create Healthy Plants

Mulch promotes healthy plants by:

Reducing the competition from weeds.

Keeping the soil moist and at an even
temperature.
Controlling erosion.
Adding organic matter that feeds benecial soil
organisms.
Preventing soil compaction.

In summer, 2 inches
of mulch cuts water
loss by 20 percent and
lowers temperature in
the top 4 inches of soil
by 10 degrees. Young
trees also establish
themselves better and
grow stronger roots
under mulch than
under bare ground.

Protect the
Environment
Plant debris accounts for approximately 10 percent of
what is thrown away annually in most areas. Much
of that waste passes through the hands of professional
landscapers. By using plant trimmings as mulch,
landll space is conserved, local soils are improved, and
healthier landscapes are created, naturally.

Looking Good with Green Waste Mulch

Green waste mulch ranges from clean wood chips of
a uniform size and color to mixed plant debris with
particles of various sizes and colors. Many local parks
are currently using mixed green waste mulch with
success. It ages to a uniform silver color for a natural
and attractive look. To get started, consider using mixed
green waste to control weeds in less visible areas, such
as behind buildings, or add a thin layer of a commercial
mulch over green waste mulch to create a more uniform
appearance.

Left: Designating a trees dripline as a

natural mulch repository can improve
the health of the tree and create a
dramatic design in urban landscapes.
Frank Ogawa Plaza, Oakland

Mulch Basics
1

Before applying mulch, remove weeds and

water thoroughly.
Youll get the best weed control when you
weed rst, then spread the mulch. And it is
often easier to wet the soil before applying
mulch.
Replace grass with mulch under trees and
around poles.
Mulching under trees to the drip line
minimizes competition for water and nutrients
from grass and mimics the way trees grow in
nature. It simplies mowing and can reduce
trimming operations and labor. In addition,
mulching around poles, tree trunks, and over
surface roots prevents damage from mowers
and weed eaters.
Keep mulch 612 inches away from the
base of trees and shrubs.
Tree trunks are not suited to wet conditions.
Placing mulch so that you can see the root
are keeps the trunk dry and reduces the risk
of damage from disease, insects, and rodents.
Choose the application rate that will give
you the best results.
General Use: Apply a layer that settles to
24 inches deep. This is the best general
application rate, especially for use in planting
beds.

Green waste mulch

is far less expensive than mulch
from forest products.
Tom Del Conte, President
Del Contes Landscaping
Fremont

Adding mulch to the bare soil helps

the landscape professional delay the next
irrigation cycle and meet plant needs.
David Langridge, Water Conservation Representative
East Bay Municipal Utility District

Mulch at the base of trees is critical

for healthy tree growth in turf areas.
Turf can rob trees of
needed water, create
shallow tree root
growth, and mowers
too close to the trunks
can destroy the bark
and kill the tree.
Lisa Caronna, Director, Parks and Waterfront,
City of Berkeley

If

y o u v e g o t a m u l c h l a y e r,
you can just pick the weed out.
If theres no mulch,
you just snap the top
off and the weed will
come right back.
Stephen Williams, Owner,
Stephen Williams Landscaping,
Piedmont

Coarse mulch gives you the best weed

control. For nutrient
supply, fine material
works best.
Mitch Matsumoto,
General Manager
Vision Recycling
Fremont

Heavy

mulching lasts longer than

herbicide treatment
and can be applied with
low-cost labor. Herbicides must be applied
more frequently and by
highly trained, licensed
personnel.

Richard Applebaum, President and General Manager

East Bay Landscaping Co., Inc.

You always hear that mulch from raw

green waste has a nitrogen drag. In my

personal experience, thats just not true. Ive
personally seen great success with putting raw
chipped trimmings back into the landscape
as mulch.
Tom Del Conte, President
Del Contes Landscaping
Fremont

Fine Mulch: Apply no more than

2 inches. Thin layers of ne mulch
(particle size of half-inch or less) are
less likely to impede air and water. Fine
mulches decompose more quickly and
need to be replenished more often than
coarse, woody mulches.
Coarse Mulch: Use 46 inches or more
to control weeds in open spaces. Coarse
mulch is best for weed control; it prevents
annual weed seeds from germinating.
Weeds that do sprout are easier to
remove. For maximum weed control,
replenish mulch once a year.
You can have too much of a good
thing: Use lesser amounts of mulch
on poorly drained soils.

5 Keep mulch on top of the soil to

prevent tying up nitrogen.

Any woody material that is incorporated
into the soil will temporarily inhibit the
soils ability to supply nitrogen to the
plants. However, according to research,
mulch only uses nitrogen at the soil
surface, and not from the root zone. If
you do not turn mulch into the soil,
youll prevent nitrogen drag.

HOW MUCH MULCH TO

BUY OR MAKE?
One cubic yard covers 108 square
feet, 3 inches deep.
Six cubic yards cover 1,000
square feet, 2 inches deep.

LOCAL GREEN WASTE LANDSCAPES

Campanile, UC Berkeley. Trees beneath the Campanile on the
UC Berkeley Campus are mulched with mixed green waste.

Mulch made on-site from trees infected with Pine

Pitch Canker at East Bay Recreation and Park
District Headquarters, Oakland.

Open space in Fremont is enhanced with mulch

made on-site using mixed green waste.

Locally produced wood chips are used in the beds and

paths at the Chancellors home, UC Berkeley.

GREEN WASTE MULCH TYPES

And How to Use Them Successfully

ulches created from plant materials have

the advantage of decomposing and adding
organic matter to feed benecial organisms
and improving the soil structure. There are many types
of organic mulches that vary in cost, appearance, and
longevity.

Green waste mulch is becoming more readily available,

is locally produced, and is less expensive to purchase. It
can be produced on-site and can sometimes be obtained
free from arborists, utility companies, or parks. It tends
to be less uniform in appearance but supplies a broader
array of nutrients to the soil.

Bark has long been sold commercially and is made from

lumber and paper mill by-products. Bark tends to have
a uniform size and appearance, but does not readily
supply nutrients; it also comes from distant forests and
is relatively expensive.

Here are some common green waste mulches and

recommendations for using them with success. Consider
that sometimes blending two or more products provides
you and your clients with the benets of each.

Chipped or Shredded Wood Waste from used pallets or used lumber is an

attractive mulch on paths and picnic areas. The nails and other metal are removed and the
pieces can be colored to look like pine, hardwood, or cypress. When waste wood breaks down,
it releases insignicant amounts of nutrients to the soil.
Longevity: Long
Recommendations:
Use on paths or at construction sites to reduce compaction from heavy foot trafc or heavy
equipment.

Wood Chips and Shavings

can be made from many kinds of trees and make excellent

mulch. They are attractive and stay in place, but may turn silver on the surface more quickly
than bark. Wood chips are sometimes available free, usually in large quantities, from utility or
tree companies, but not always on a regular basis.

Longevity: Medium Long

Recommendations:
To keep wood chips looking best, rake every year and add a new layer every 23 years.
Before you buy, determine how the chips have been stored and check for a sour smell that
signals chips havent been stored properly.

Pine Needles are attractive. They dont pack down to form mats and they resist
decomposing. Pine needles are light and usually weed-free. Although pine needles dont absorb
water, they let it trickle through to reach the soil surface. Pine needles have a low pH and are
traditionally used around acid-loving plants even though they dont tend to signicantly impact
the soils pH.
Longevity: Medium Long
Recommendations:
Spread 3 inches deep around evergreens, azaleas, and other acid-loving plants.

Mixed Green Waste Mulch provides a broad range of nutrients and trace elements
essential to build healthy soil. It can be any combination of the materials listed above, plus
chipped brush and other plant trimmings. You can produce it on-site with a chipper/shredder. It
settles more quickly than pure bark or wood because the leafy material breaks down rapidly.
This decomposition allows nutrients to be recycled back into the soil.
Longevity: Medium
Recommendations:
Use mixed green waste mulch where generated to minimize the spread of weeds and diseases.
Ask your source if the mulch has been composted and for how long. Composting green waste
mulch at high temperatures destroys weed seeds and disease-causing organisms.
For best color and maximum weed control, replenish every year.
Sift out nes for better weed control and air movement to the root zone, or leave them in for
nutrient and organic matter additions to the soil.

Compost is plant and other organic matter that has gone through a controlled decomposition
process. It provides many valuable nutrients and improves soil structure. Used as a mulch, it may
not control weeds because seeds can germinate and grow in the compost. This is especially true
in windy areas where weed seeds can blow onto compost and grow.
Longevity: Medium
Recommendations:
Apply a layer of coarse, woody mulch on top of the compost for better weed control.
Around new plants, use composts with salt content less than 3dS.
Select particle size for aesthetics.
Replenish annually.

Leaves are plentiful and readily break down, creating natural mulch that contains valuable
trace elements. Leaf drop is natures way of returning nutrients and organic matter to the soil.
However, leaves can be carried away by heavy rain or wind.
Longevity: Short
Recommendations:
Let oak, beech, and sycamore leaves lie where they fall to return nutrients to the soil.
Chop other kinds of leaves with a mowerespecially maple, birch, or elm leaves, which tend to
form a mat that blocks air and water. Distribute chopped leaves 23 inches deep, mixed with
grass clippings and other trimmings, if you have them, under a trees dripline.
Replace every year.
If a lawn is covered with a light layer of leaves, mow over the leaves to chop and distribute with
clippings between the blades of grass as a mulch.

Grass Clippings are a good source of nutrients, including nitrogen, because they decompose
rapidly. Leaving the clippings on the lawn is the best use. They can be used as mulch when they
are too long to leave on the lawn; if applied too thick they can form a mat.
Longevity: Very Short
Recommendations:
Hide clippings under a broadleaf ground cover such as ivy. Evenly disperse clippings over the
canopy, then rake lightly so they settle to the soil surface.
Mow before weeds have gone to seed.
Avoid using clippings from invasive turf species, such as kikuyu.
Avoid using pesticides that make clippings undesirable as mulch. As found by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, picloram and clopyralid are especially resistant to decomposition
and can contaminate compost or mulch made from grass treated with these products.

Applying Mulches
Spreading mulch is often a hands-on task. Use a
front- end loader whenever possible to move and
spread mulch or to make small piles that are then
spread out by raking.

Volunteers. The City of Livermore has had

success attracting 200 volunteers to an Earth
Day event to help spread mulch and plant 100
trees along a bike path. This approach could be
used with other civic events such as Arbor Day
or cleanup days.

Additional options for applying mulch include:

Pneumatic Blowers. For large jobs that dont

have dense plantings, mulch can be applied
through a blower system. This works best for
coarse materials, since using a blower with ne
mulch or compost can create a lot of dust.

Mulch On-Site. When chipping materials on site,

the chipper may be moved and directed to blow
the chips in the area where the mulch needs to
be spread. This works best in open
areas vs. near buildings and planting beds.
Block off a generous application zone to prevent
workers or passersby from being injured.

Reducing the Spread

of Plant Diseases

Keep mulch away from tree trunks or the

crowns of woody ornamentals.

Keep mulch on the soil surface. This reduces

direct contact between disease organisms and
plants.

Consult an arborist who can help you diagnose

problem trees or shrubs before you chip.

In general, if trees are clearly diseased, avoid

using their prunings for mulch unless they are
composted to kill disease-causing organisms.

Special notes for trees infected with:

Pine pitch canker. In order to help prevent the
spread of the disease, it is best not to transport
infected tree prunings. A recommended practice
to reduce infection risk is to chip infected
materials and spread the mulch on or near the
site of origin. Chips should be spread in a thin
layer to promote rapid drying.
Sudden Oak Death. Avoid cutting diseased
oaks from mid-October to the end of April.
Chip the branches and use the chips on-site as
mulch. Split the wood for rewood and leave
it on-site as well. Promote drying by placing it
in a sunny location. Do not grind the stump;
tightly cover it with clear plastic to kill the
fungus and insects. Avoid transporting chips or
rewood as it contributes to the spread of the
disease.
Dutch Elm disease. Prune infected trees only
from November to early March. Pruning at
other times of the year, when the beetle that
carries the disease is active, leaves wounds on
the tree that attract the beetle and thus spreads
the infection.

Any diseased material that is removed from a site

should be tightly covered with a tarp during transit
and taken to the nearest compost or disposal facility
for prompt chipping and composting, burial, or
burning. Tools and machinery used to prune, cut, or
chip diseased trees should be cleaned and sterilized
before use on uninfected trees or in uninfested areas.
For more information, visit the websites listed in
Other Resources on the back of this guide.

In runoff areas, I layer mulch on top of

gullies. And there are
no more gullies.
Greg Harrington, Gardener
University of California
Berkeley

We replenish mulch annually during

December and January, when were cutting all

the plants back and we have easy access.
Stephen Williams, Owner
Stephen Williams Landscaping
Piedmont

We try to chip what we prune directly

back into the landscape, right where we take

it out.
Mike Perry, Groundskeeper III,
Landscape Maintenance
City of Livermore

Weed cloths and plastic work for a time,

but in the end, theyre not worth it and they

create waste disposal problems. Its better to
use locally-produced, organic materials.
Lisa Caronna, Director, Parks and Waterfront
City of Berkeley

REDUCE & RECYCLE PLANT TRIMMINGS

Generate Less

Replace sheared bushes with plants

that naturally grow to the desired size
without shearing. Your clients landscape
will generate less waste and you will
signicantly cut your labor costs for
maintenance.

Give plants only the water and fertilizer

they need; overwatering and overfertilizing
creates excess plant growth and promotes
plant diseases.
Group plants that have similar watering
needs to prevent overwatering and
excessive plant growth.
If you are designing the landscape or can
inuence its design:
Avoid overplanting. Allow enough room
for the plants to grow to their mature size,
eliminating the need to continually prune
or remove excess plants later.
Plant the right plant for the microclimate.
Consider the amount of light, temperature
range, and water provided by the site and
select plants accordingly. Healthy plants
wont need removing and replacing.
Suggest the use of more native plants,
which are naturally adapted to local
climates and soils, and fewer exotic plants.
Do not plant invasive plant species such
as Scotch, French, or Spanish broom, or
pampas grass.

Recycle More

Grasscycle by leaving grass clippings on the

lawn.
Compost or mulch plant trimmings on-site.
Use compost or mulch. Compost builds
healthy soil and reduces the need for
commercial fertilizers.
Avoid using pesticides containing
clopyralid or picloram, which are especially
resistant to decomposition and can
contaminate compost or mulch made from
grass treated with these products.
Turn trees into lumber. Mill large trees that
need to be removed.
Get a clean green discount at local
landlls and transfer stations by separating
plant trimmings from trash at the point of
collection.
At large sites, dedicate a bin to plant
trimmings only. It may be available from
the hauler for a lower collection fee.

Mulch Application Guide

Throughout California, mulch materials are successfully being used in a variety of landscaping
applications. This guide outlines major end uses, benets, characteristics, application instructions, and
some buying tips for bulk purchases. The focus of the guide is on mulch materials made from urban
green waste sources like shredded or chipped wood waste (such as shipping pallets or used lumber),
wood chips and shavings from woody tree prunings, and chipped or shredded brush and shrub
trimmings.

Major Landscape
Mulch End Uses:

Mulch Benets for

Landscape Plants:

Water Conservation
Weed Suppression
Dust Control
Mud Abatement
Erosion Prevention
Sediment Control
Landscape Topdressing
(and Lawn Alternative)
Plant Protection and Enhancement
Fire Suppression
(over hillsides and around homes)
Topsoil Production
Urban Agriculture

Retains moisture and rain runoff,

reducing watering cost.
Keeps soil temperature constant,
reducing plant stress.
Suppresses weeds, reducing the need for
hand labor and herbicides.
Gradually increases soil organic matter,
attracting benecial organisms that
improve soil fertility and porosity.
Increases disease and pest resistance,
reducing chemical and pesticide usage.
Protects soil from erosion and from
compaction due to trafc.
Protects roots from mechanical injury.

Matching Mulch Characteristics

to End Use Application
Mulch users will get the best results by using mulch with characteristics best suited to the requirements
of their particular end use. The main considerations are visible to the eye: particle size and consistency;
lack of visible contaminants (like plastic or glass); color; and feedstock source such as bark chunks,
shredded bark, wood chips, or shredded bush trimmings with leaves.
By requesting specic mulch characteristics rather than a particular material, it is usually possible to
get material at lower cost, from a supplier closer at hand, and often with better qualities for your own
particular use. Sometimes it is easier to simply specify a particular feedstock. Suppliers differ in the
kind of product they make, and some blend feedstock materials as part of their service.

The following table lists the major end uses of mulch, along with associated
benets, preferred characteristics, and application instructions for each end use.
This can be used as a basis not only for applying the material on-site, but knowing
how much mulch to order.

End Use

Benets

Characteristics

Application

Water Conservation

Used as a ground cover

over bare soil and planting
beds, helps reduce water
evaporation and the need
for frequent watering.

Fairly coarse particles from

2 to 4 inches in size. Use
chipped or shredded tree
bark or chips from prunings.
Avoid treated lumber and
green waste with disease
organisms.

Spread 46 inches deep

in planting beds and under
trees at least out to drip
line. Keep 612 inches
away from stems and trunks
to avoid disease or pest
problems.

Weed Suppression

Applications to bare
soil hinder weed seed
germination and growth
by blocking sunlight. The
few weeds that grow can
usually be pulled by hand.

Irregular-sized chipped or
shredded woody materials
from 2 to 8 inches in length.
Use green waste feedstock
materials that are free of
seed contamination or a
large quantity of leaves.

Spread evenly over

ground after removing
weeds. Spread 4 to 6
inches deep in large planting
beds. Spread deeper in
heavily weeded areas.
Replenish annually.

Dust Control

Mulch materials applied

over surfaces of dirt roads,
trails, or open areas will
reduce dust from trafc
and wind.

Coarsely shredded or
chipped mixed green waste
materials 2 to 6 inches
in size.

Spread a layer of mulch

23 inches deep over the
surface of dirt roads, trails,
or open areas.

Mud Abatement

Used as a ground cover

over wet areas to soak up
moisture, reduces slipping
hazards, and provides
foundation for foot or
vehicular trafc.

Irregular-sized chipped or
shredded woody materials
from 2 to 6 inches in length.

Spread 36 inches deep

over muddy ground to
create temporary dry
pathways around
construction sites, parking
lots, recreation areas, and
roadways.

Erosion Prevention

Reduces soil erosion by

cushioning impact of heavy
rainfall on steep slopes and
increasing soil water holding
capacity.

Mixture of unscreened
coarse and ne particles
from 1 to 4 inches in
length made from chipped
or shredded bark, wood
waste, and tree and yard
prunings.

Spread 24 inches deep

on gentle slopes in dry
climates. From 58 inches
on steep slopes in wet areas.
Place up to very top of slope
to prevent washouts.

End Use

Benets

Characteristics

Application

Sediment Control

Mulch constructed as a
raised berm on sloping
land lters stormwater
ows, contains soil erosion,
and traps moving sediment.

Mixture of unscreened
coarse and ne particles
from 1/2 to 3 inches in
length made from chipped,
shredded, or ground
bark, wood waste, or tree
prunings.

Construct berm 1 1/2 to

2 feet high by 34 feet
wide parallel to slope base
on water runoff sites. Use
material on landscape when
no longer needed in be.

Landscape
Topdressing

Provides decorative
alternative to high
maintenance groundcovers
and turfgrass lawns on
bare areas between new or
established planting beds.

Use uniformly shaped

small- to medium-sized
particles from 1 to 3 inches
in length. Natural or colored
chips derived from bark,
recycled wood products,
or tree prunings.

Apply a 2- to 4-inch
uniform layer on soil surface
for an aesthetically pleasant
nish to landscape.

Plant Protection &

Enhancement

Helps insulate plant roots

during drastic temperature
changes, prevents certain
fungal diseases, and reduces
compaction from heavy
trafc or in construction
areas.

2- to 4-inch irregularly
sized particles from chipped
or shredded woody
materials, tree prunings, or
mixed green waste. Avoid
treated lumber and urban
wood waste.

Spread around base of

plants and trees, taking
care to keep mulch from
touching stems or trunks.
Spread mulch to a depth
of 46 inches at least out
to the drip line of plant.

Fire Suppression

Mulch spread over hillsides

will reduce re propagation
and prevent erosion and
grow-back of weeds and
brush in cleared areas up to
several years.

Coarsely chipped woody

materials and prunings from
on-site brush removals and
vegetation clearing reapplied
around hillside homes. Saves
cost of removal, hauling,
and disposal.

Apply 3 to 4 inches thick

in landscape around home
sites and 4 to 6 inches deep
on hillside slopes.
Check local re ofcials for
vegetation removal
requirements.

Topsoil Production

Incorporated into topsoil

mixes, organic mulches
will act as a binding agent;
increase water holding
capacity, soil organic matter
content, and porosity.

Finely screened 1-inch

minus mulch nes from
chipped, shredded or
ground bark, wood, or
landscape prunings with
no contaminants. Avoid
treated lumber and
diseased green waste.

Mulch material is mixed

into screened native soils
from 10 to 30 percent by
volume for most landscape
topsoil blends.

Urban Agriculture

Mulching controls weeds,

saves water, and increases
nutrient uptake and
soil fertility. Can reduce
incidence of root-rot fungus
(phytophtora) and nematodes
in avocado and citrus trees
grown in infected soils.

Irregular-sized chipped or
shredded woody materials
from 2 to 8 inches in length.
Only use green waste
materials that are free of
seeds and disease organisms.
Also avoid materials made
from chemically treated
lumber.

Spread around base of

plants and trees taking care
to keep the mulch material
from touching the stems or
trunks. Mulch to a depth
of 3 to 5 inches around row
crops and from 4 to 6 inches
at least out to the drip line
of trees.

How Much Mulch Do You Need To Buy?

Most bulk sales of mulch are usually measured in cubic yards (CY). This is a convenient measure for
loading vehicles, without the use of truck scales. Use the following formula to calculate the volume
required:
Area (in sq. ft.) x Depth (in ft.)/27 = Cubic Yards Required.
To illustrate the amount of mulch youll need:

Cubic Yards (CY) Needed for Depth of Coverage

Square Footage

2" Layer

4" Layer

6"Layer

8"Layer

1,000

12

19

25

5,000

31

61

93

124

10,000

62

122

185

247

20,000

124

244

370

494

30,000

186

367

556

741

43,560 (1 acre)

269

532

807

1,076

You can scale these numbers up or down in proportion to your own site needs

Tips on Where and How to Buy Materials

Mulch is bulky and a large fraction of the purchase price may consist of shipping it to your site. So
it pays to begin looking for supplies near to your own area. Most large cities in California now have
mulch supplies close at hand. However, the closest vendors may not provide all the services or quality
of materials you need for your application needs. In choosing a supplier, keep in mind that you need to
weigh the following factors:
Price of material FOB plus the cost of delivery (reecting travel distance).
Other specic services provided (delivery, spreading, technical assistance).
Suitability of material for your own particular end use.
Quality of material beyond the minimum requirements.
Most commercial venders take pride in supplying a high quality product, because sales depend greatly on
reputation and word of mouth among users who know the benets of using mulch. Some characteristics
to look for in a supplier:
Good location and a neat, spacious site capable of stocking a good inventory.
Guaranteed product availability, reliable delivery, and clear pricing schedules, including possible
discounts for off-season or high-volume sales.
Reputation and knowledgeable, friendly customer service, with staff who answer phone calls
promptly, offer information, and take time to answer questions.

Health and Safety

Preventing Allergic Reactions
Always have your crew wear safety gear such as
gloves, boots, and pollen masks when handling
mulch. Loading, spreading, or turning mulch can
trigger allergic reactions in people or cause serious
injury. This is especially true with shredded
redwood, mulch from sycamore trees, or mulch
that has been stored too long. Keep your eye
out for poison oak and do not use in greenwaste
mulch.

Preventing Fire

Storing mulch in piles less than 8 feet high

and separating the ne material when possible
helps prevent spontaneous combustion. Have
a water source available in any case. Dont
mistake steam from a pile that is composting
as smoke.
Shredded redwood bark (gorilla hair) ignites
easily. Use it only in areas where people wont
drop cigarette butts or matches.

SOURCES
for Green waste Mulch
The California Integrated Waste
Management Board maintains a
voluntary listing of local businesses
that market organic products
including green waste mulch
materials. Visit the Boards website at
www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Organics/.
For a list of urban wood waste
and construction materials recyclers,
processors, and receivers, see the
C & D Debris Recyclers Database at
www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Condemo/.
Use CalMAX...a free service that helps
businesses nd materials that are
usually discarded. The organics
section in this database has listings
for green waste mulch materials. see
www.ciwmb.ca.gov/CalMAX/.
Identify local sources of green waste
materials with the help of city or
county recycling coordinators.
Contact CIWMB staff at (916)
341-6199 for the name and phone
number of your recycling coordinator,
or look in your telephone directory.
To arrange for truckload quantities of
free green waste mulch materials,
contact tree care companies listed in
your local yellow pages.

Other Resources
Helpful landscape information and related websites:

* The California Integrated Waste Management

Boards Organics Outlook website at www
.ciwmb.ca.gov/Organics/Landscaping/
has more information and publications on
resource-efcient landscape management
practices for commercial landscapers.
* Visit the Boards website at www.ciwmb.ca.gov/RCP/
for a Recycled-Content Product Database
listing a multitude of products made from
recycled-content materials used in buildings
and landscapes. Products include edging, tree
guards, irrigation equipment, benches, plastic
lumbers, paving, fencing, decking, and many
more items.
* For the California Landscape Contractors
Association booklet Resource Recovery
Handbook contact Larry Rohlfes, phone
(916) 448-2522, e-mail [email protected].

management issues and best management

practices at www.cuwcc.org.
* For information on water-wise gardens and
sustainable landscapes, visit the U.S. Bureau of
Reclamations website at www.watershare.usbr.
gov.
* Visit the Irrigation Association website at www
.irrigation.org, which covers conservation of
quality and quantity of groundwater.
* For more information on invasive plant species
in California, visit the Cal Weed website at
http://endeavor.des.ucdavis.edu/weeds/.
* Pine Pitch Canker website: http://frap.cdf.ca.gov/
pitch_canker/.
* Sudden Oak Death website: http://cemarin.
ucdavis.edu/index2.html.

* The California Urban Water Conservation

Councils Web site focuses on water resource

CIWMB Publication # 443-02-010

Revised February 2006
For additional copies of this publication, contact: California
Integrated Waste Management Board, Public Affairs Ofce-Publications
Clearinghouse (MS-6), P.O. Box 4025, Sacramento, CA 95812-4025.
Order online at www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Publications/ or call 1-800-CAWASTE (California only) or (916) 341-6306.
The California Integrated Waste Management Board does not
discriminate on the basis of disability in access to its programs.
CIWMB publications are available in accessible formats upon request
by calling the Public Affairs Ofce at (916) 341-6300. Persons with
hearing impairments can reach the CIWMB through the California
Relay Service at 1-800-735-2929.

A special thanks is given to the members of the Sustainable Landscaping

Advisory Panel of Alameda County who freely shared their time and
expertise to make this publication a reality.
The statements and conclusions used in this report from the original
publication are not necessarily those of the CIWMB, its employees,
or the State of California. The State makes no warranty, expressed
or implied, and assumes no liability for the information contained
in any of the unedited text used in this publication. Any mention
of commercial products or processes shall not be construed as an
endorsement of such products.

The CIWMB gratefully acknowledges the permission freely granted by

the Alameda County Waste Management Authority and the Alameda
County Reduction and Recycling Board to edit and revise the text,
format and graphic elements developed and designed by them for the
original publication of A Landscapers Guide to Mulch.

Printed on recycled paper containing a

minimum of 30 percent postconsumer content.