Rubber-O-Rama

It's kind of a strange thing to say we spread cut up tires all over our yard in order to improve it's appearance, but yep, that's exactly what we did.

Rubber mulch. Ever heard of it? I hadn't until randomly stumbling upon some yard makeover show (Yard Crashers, perhaps? Something like that.) where it was being used. Nate and I looked at each other with little lightbulbs hovering over our heads. Ding! Just the thing for some front yard rehab.

This will have something planted in it... Someday. Okay maybe next year.

Unlike regular wood mulch, rubber mulch is made of recycled tires and dyed brown (or red cedar, if you prefer). The brand we used, Vigoro, is color guaranteed for 12 years and has all the benefits of wood mulch (weed deterring, prettying up the place, etc), but with the added bonuses of being cushy to the knees when gardening, and, my fave, NOT having to replace it yearly as we would in this rainy climate with wood mulch.

This is my favorite view - The rocks stand out so much now.

The bags were under six bucks each, and we ended up using 15. We were able to cover every bed and the long edge in our front yard about an inch and a half deep, and quite a bit deeper in one area that becomes a mud pit in winter. Hoping that little issue will now be solved for this coming rainy season.

Neighbors' red cedar wood mulch up top, rubber mulch at base by rocks.

All in all, it feels like a steal of a deal. We didn't have to order wood mulch from a landscaping company, have it delivered, and then cart and spread it. Heck, we didn't even have to use gloves since splinters aren't an issue with rubber! If all the promises are true, our lil' house should be sittin' pretty for the next dozen years. Time and money well spent!

Next up - Fixing up that brown, moss-filled grass!

P.S. Yep, rubber mulch is perfectly safe for pets, as long as they're not interested in eating it. In fact, lots of people say their pets prefer it because it's nice on the paws! Just a little FYI if you're curious - I know I was prior to purchasing.