Does a picture of a zookeeper shredding Gorilla’s hair come to your mind when you read Gorilla Hair Mulch? Do not worry, Gorilla Hair Mulch is not recycled debris from a Zoo. Instead, Gorilla Hair Mulch has nothing to do with actual Gorillas.
It is an extremely useful plant by-product that is very well recognized for its various useful purposes. Understanding the production uses and drawbacks will help you have a clear understanding of the product.
Table of Contents
What is Gorilla Hair Mulch Made Of?
Gorilla Hair Mulch is a plant-based mulch that is made of the barks of redwood and red cedar. The barks are finely shredded, and the resulting product has a coarse texture and has a fibrous quality to it. This plant-based mulch looks like tufts of thick gorilla hair, which is why the product is named so.
Gorilla hair mulch is an extremely environmentally-friendly product. This is because it is made from the barks that are by-products of lumber production. Gorilla hair mulch is, therefore, as natural and non-toxic as it gets.
What is Gorilla Hair Mulch Used For?
This plant-based mulch is used, much like other mulches, to preserve the soil moisture and fertility. Gorilla hair mulch is great for stopping drying sun and wind from damaging the soil. It effectively prevents soil erosion and also contains plant nutrients that enhance soil fertility. It also reduces weed growth and increases the soil’s visual area.
Benefits of Gorilla Hair Much
Some great benefits are exclusive to this specific mulch. They are the reason why it has become so popular in current times. Other than the functions that all mulches serve, i.e., retaining moisture, deterring weed, and increasing fertility, this mulch also does the following things.
· Easy Decomposition
Nobody likes mulching often, and this mulch ensures that you do not have to do it too often. Since the Gorilla hair mulch decomposes very slowly, it negates the necessity of mulching your garden for years. The slow decomposition rate also makes your garden look freshly mulched for longer than any other mulch available.
· Stays in Place
If your garden is frequently damaged by wind, this mulch is a great choice for you. This is because gorilla hair mulch is known to stay in place. It does not roll down from slopy terrain and does not get blown away with the wind.
· Forms a Thick Mat
Gorilla hair mulch is great for matting purposes. Since it decomposes very slowly, it forms a thick mat-like material over the soil. The dense mat then does not shift or get damaged easily. This is great since the dense mat also allows the soil to stay put. Putting a jute mat between the mulch and the soil helps the mulch mat faster.
· Repels Pest
The Cedar bark that the gorilla hair mulch is made of is well known for its insect deterring qualities. It is the natural oils present inside that repel plant-damaging insects such as moths, beetles, and rats.
Drawbacks of Gorilla Hair Much
Now, let’s look at the flip side of the gorilla hair mulch coin. Let us look at the drawbacks of this mulch.
· Hazardous to Pets
Even though the gorilla hair mulch is completely non-toxic and natural, it can still be a threat to pets. Livestock, dogs, and other animals in the house run a risk of choking on this mulch if they attempt to chew it.
· Flammable
This is a huge drawback of the gorilla hair mulch. This material is extremely flammable as it is made of dried and finely shredded wood. This is a threat to the safety of the surrounding area as well.
· Can be Too Thick
If you put a thick layer of gorilla hair mulch on the soil, you run the risk of trapping water into it. Since this mulch is extremely dense, it can prevent water from reaching the soil. Therefore, it should be used carefully and with a proper understanding of the material.
Endnotes
Gorilla hair mulch is a great substitute for other mulches with their drawbacks. It is perfect to be used in slopy and hilly areas that are not prone to catching fire. This mulch should be used in scarcity to help the soil enough to not deprive of water. Gorilla hair mulch is an overall blessing due to its environmentally friendly properties and production.
James Fields is the founder of Gardener to Farmer. His passion for gardening goes back to his childhood days when he would visit his grandfather during the holidays and help him with the plants in the backyard. This has now translated to creating a dependable resource for gardening.