Customizing your yard into the perfect outdoor space for your family is a big benefit of being a homeowner. However, there are lots of options to consider when it comes to landscaping, and not all are created equal.
In the r/landscaping Reddit forum, a user asked for advice on redesigning their yard with an alternative to traditional grass.
"Looking to cover up roughly 800 sq feet of grass areas that tend to hold water after storms. Does anyone know if rubber or wood mulch would be better to cover the area to try and keep my dogs from getting muddy?" the poster asked.
"Wood mulch is better looking in my opinion, but I know I'll need to 'freshen' up the areas every year or two and rubber should last years."
In response, commenters urged the poster to avoid using rubber mulch, at the very least.
"Just use cedar chips. Rubber mulch is like injecting plastic garbage directly into the earth," one user said.
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"No. Absolutely 100% no to rubber mulch. The bits WILL last longer, but that's not a good thing. They'll work their way into the ground, get flung other places, doing nothing beneficial and leaching chemical residues," another commenter said.
If you want to maintain a healthy yard, rubber mulch is never a good option. It burns in the sun, can have an unpleasant smell, is ineffective, and can cause health issues for humans, pets, and wildlife.
The rubber material also leaches toxins into the soil, offers no food for pollinators, and is terrible for the environment. Instead of mulches that can be harmful, consider filling your yard with native plants instead.
Plants native to your area encourage biodiversity, support pollinators, and help wildlife survive. Whether you do it all at once or gradually, rewilding your yard with grass alternatives such as clover and buffalo grass can save you time on lawn maintenance and money on water bills and other expenses.
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