Serious concerns regarding rubber mulch that have not been academically substantiated fully is that of petroleum leakage and the mulch's combustibility. There are environmental studies showing both pros and cons of rubber mulch and individually each homeowner should decide what is best for their landscape. If forest fires are a concern in your area and you want to use mulch, you may want to choose the permanent solution of rocks, not wood or rubber mulch around your house.
One myth of mulch that I would like to dispel is that "mulch attracts termites". Scientifically, there's good news and bad news regarding mulch used in the landscape. The good news is that mulch doesn't attract termites, which is a myth, according to research studied by Dr. Duryea of the University of Florida/IFAS Entomology department (http://cfyn.ifas.ufl.edu/scape.html). The bad news is that in the Southeast, there are between one to three million termites per acre of property whether you mulch or not - that's even if you use rocks. Dead snags, shrubs, trees, compost piles, with any decomposing wood is considered a food source for termites, so it's not a question of if you are going to have termites, but when! The termites are not necessarily coming for the mulch as much as a food source, but rather for the warm moisture that the ground retains in the soil from having the mulch underneath planting material. So, if you are over-watering, keeping the ground wet around the foundation of your house, even if you use non-organic material, you will be more likely to attract termites closer to your house. You know that air conditioner hose drip outside your house that is constantly leaking all summer long? It's an excellent source of moisture to attract termites. To keep your house foundation as dry as possible, follow these recommendations:
1) Follow irrigation schedules for best management practices. Over-watering can cause more insect problems.
2) If you are concerned about termites, use meleleucca mulch. Meleleucca was the only mulch in UF/IFAS research studies that termites would not eat. (Duryea, UF/IFAS, 2000)
3) Keep mulch and planting material from house foundation two to three feet away.
4) Use only two to three inches of mulch at a time. Closer to the house, use only one inch of mulch to allow foundation to dry out.
5) Repair or direct all water drips, i.e. gutters, leaky irrigation equipment, air conditioners, away from foundation.
Using mulch can relieve you of many garden chores, such as weekly weeding, watering often, and frustratingly replacing plants that die from stress of heat. Along with less work, mulching can add the finishing touches that will add an air of professionalism to your garden. Then you can stand back with arms outstretched saying "TAH-DAH!" and listen to your neighbors and friends' 'oohs and ahs' of admiration.
