The leaf mulch vs wood mulch call depends on your goal for the bed in question. Leaf mulch wins on soil building and cost while wood mulch wins on looks and how long it lasts in your yard.
I use both at home in two very different spots that show off each one's strong suit. The veggie garden gets a thick blanket of shredded leaves each fall to feed the soil for the next crop.
My front-yard beds along the walkway get a fresh layer of dark bark mulch each spring for that clean tidy look. Both work great in their own zones and I would not swap one for the other in a hurry.
Wood chips mulch comes from chipped tree limbs and trunks while bark mulch comes from the outer skin of pine and other softwood trees. Both last 2 to 4 years in your beds before they need a full top-up.
Leaf mulch breaks down in just 6 to 12 months in most yards. That fast rot means more soil food for plants but also more work to top up the layer each season.
The cost side of the mulch comparison is where leaf mulch really shines for budget gardeners like me.
Leaf mulch costs you nothing if you have trees on or near your lot. The leaves fall on their own and a quick pass with the mower turns them into top-grade mulch in minutes flat.
Wood mulch can run $4 to $7 per cubic foot (£3 to £6) for a bagged product at the home store. A full yard of beds can eat up $200 or more in wood mulch in a single fresh layer each spring.
The nutrient gap is the other big point in this mulch comparison. Leaf mulch packs about 2% nitrogen per UConn Extension data along with trace minerals from deep tree roots. Wood mulch gives back very little to the soil since most of the goodness stays locked in the dense wood fiber.
Pick the best garden mulch for your spot based on what the bed needs to do for you. Use leaf mulch on veggie beds, tree rings, perennial borders, and any spot where soil health beats curb appeal hands down.
Use wood mulch on formal landscape beds, around shrubs near the front door, and along walkways where folks will see it every day. The clean dark color stands out against green plants and holds its shape all season.
Some folks mix the two in one bed for the best of both worlds. Put leaf mulch down first as the bottom layer for soil food, then top it with a thin band of wood mulch for the look you want to show off.
Read the full article: Leaf Mulch: Complete Garden Guide
