Gardener frustrated by landscaping problem inherited from previous homeowners: 'I just don't understand why you would do something like this'

One TikTok creator, Wendi Darling (@lookawendibird), remained hopeful when faced with the irksome rubber mulch the previous homeowner had left all over the yard.

"This is going to be an oasis when I walk out of here," the new homeowner said, referring to her planned gardening project. 

@lookawendibird

Rubber mulch has got to go

♬ original sound - Wendi Darling 🍉

"It is made from old tires, and I'm going to have to get rid of it all," the homeowner exasperatedly said. She continued, "I just don't understand why you would do something like this."

The homeowner found boundried off portions of the garden with rubber mulch filling them. Usually, homeowners turn toward mulch for landscaping, as mulch can retain moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature. However, this is only true of natural mulch.

Rubber mulch is not biodegradable and is extremely harmful to yourself and your garden. The toxins found in the rubber can be highly flammable, which is not helped by how easy it is for the rubber mulch to heat up in the sun. When it comes to safety, rubber mulch is a bad option. 

Southern Living further explained the precise harms that are derived from using rubber mulch in your garden. It's highly toxic, as "over time, rubber mulch does break down and leaches heavy metals, plasticizers, and accelerators into the environment." Additionally, it can leave high zinc levels in the soil, which "can be toxic to plants and could cause leaf chlorosis."

Southern Living also wrote that rubber mulch creates a bad odor and is difficult to remove. 

Above all, rubber mulch's difficulty to remove and toxicity, combined with price, culminate in a cost-intensive way of gardening that can ultimately lead to more harm for your plants than good. This is especially annoying when the solution of a native garden with organic, natural mulch is cheaper and less time-consuming.

Now, the homeowner is in the midst of removing all the rubber mulch and replacing the area with native plants.

"There are already some native plants growing!" she excitedly pointed out.

What's the worst thing about taking care of your yard? The time it takes ⏰ How noisy it is 🙉 It's too expensive 💸 I don't have a yard 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Native plants and a natural garden facilitate a healthy ecosystem full of pollinators, resilient soil, and beauty. The real bonus is that once native plants are grown, there's virtually no need to constantly upkeep, resulting in lower utility bills and less work for the homeowner.

Those in the comment section are eagerly awaiting to see how the new homeowner will transform the space.

"Can't wait to see you transfer it!" wrote one. 

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.