Want to enjoy a great time in your garden without a pest invasion? Then it’s high time you discovered how cedar mulch can help you repel those unattractive bugs from your precious garden.
Cedar mulch contains the essential oil thujone, which repels black carpet beetles, cockroaches, house ants, and other types of bugs. It’s an inexpensive options that also provide the added benefits of conserving your soil moisture, regulating its temperature, and keeping weeds out.
With cedar mulch, you can say goodbye to expensive, synthetically manufactured bug repellents that may have very little effect outdoor and last for a relatively short time. Let’s take a closer look at cedar mulch and its advantages.
Cedar mulch (on Amazon) is simply a mulch made of cedar. As you may already know, mulch is any item that can be added to the top of your garden soil in order to conserve moisture, improve the soil, reduce weed growth and/or enhance the look of the area. So, cedar mulch is essentially a covering on your garden made from cedar chips and shreds.
Cedar mulch can be made from different species of trees, such as the western red cedar (Thuja plicata), the eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana), and the white cedar (Thuja occidentalis).
It has a wonderful, vibrant color and gives your soil an airy, light finish. It is especially appealing in flower gardens.
Although most mulches are used to suppress weeds, repress moisture evaporation, and regulate the temperature of the top soil, cedar mulch does much more. Beyond the garden, it can serve as pet beddings (to line the cage floors, for example), and repelling moths from fabric.
Does Cedar Mulch Repel Bugs?
Yes, cedar mulch is an effective bug repellent. Cedar wood emits aromatic hydrocarbons and acids that are naturally unpleasant to bugs. The aroma in cedar mulch comes from the essential oil thujone, which can be classified as an insect-repelling chemical.
Hence, with mulch evenly spread across your garden, you can be sure that black carpet beetles, cockroaches, odorous house ants, termites, and Argentine ants will stay away.
Cedar mulch is one of the most aromatic mulches you can find. The aroma in cedar mulch is usually heightened after rainfall. You can induce this artificially when you water your garden.
Note though that while cedar mulch may provide a refreshing olfactory experience, you might want to avoid it if any member of your family has fragrance allergies.
That said, besides preparing a mulch bedding in your garden, you can also keep the mulch in areas of your home where you think bugs might be hiding, such as in kitchen cabinets, beneath sinks, etc.
Other Advantages of Using Cedar Mulch
Cedar Mulch Makes Great Pet Beddings
Even if you don’t have bugs in your home, you can still get some cedar mulch to lay as bedding for your pet. Cedar mulch makes a beautiful, decorative addition to your yard, and surely, your dog will love it too.
Keeping a bag of cedar mulch close to your pet’s house will also help to further protect it from insects and fleas.
Cedar Mulch Helps Retain Soil Moisture
Mulch in all its variations provides a cover for the top soil and protects it from the harsh bearings of the sun. Whether you’re a gardener or a homeowner, one good way to preserve the moisture in your soil from evaporating is by using cedar mulch.
Soil Temperature Regulation
Cedar mulch provides an efficient insulating cover for your soil. In hot months, it helps you keep the soil warm by preserving its moisture, while in cold months, it traps heat so that tomatoes and other garden crops can continue to grow without delay.
Cedar Mulch Repels Other Insects
If you live in a swampy suburb with loads of mosquitos buzzing in your ears every now and then, you should consider spreading some cedar mulch. As with the bugs we mentioned above, the aromatic oil in the mulch will also help you repel other unwanted insects too.
