Using great mulch is an important contributor to planting success and Gorilla Hair is considered the best mulch for California native plants. 

Native habitat gardens are a great way to enjoy local wildlife, conserve precious water resources and be a part of making this world a more balanced and natural place. Eventually a well established garden will develop its own organic mulch layer but until that happens proper mulching is one of the most important steps of a new California native plant garden.

Mulch has many important values to your garden. It keeps the weeds out and the soil moisture in. The region where the native soil and mulch meet is also an important home for soil microbes to grow and multiply.

The best mulch for California native plant gardens is shredded redwood, or Gorilla Hair. Gorilla Hair has many advantages over other types of mulch. First, it takes a long time to decompose so that excess nitrogen is not released into the soil and it will last for many years before needing to be replaced. Second, it creates a very dense mat that is virtually impenetrable to weeds. And finally, its reddish brown color looks great and helps to create a tidy look to a newly established garden.

Gorilla Hair can be purchased in 2 cubic foot bags from your local garden center or can be purchased in 3 cubic yard bags from Moosa Creek. It is also available in larger quanities from several material suppliers around Southern California.

While the purchase of good mulch can add to the initial expense of a California native planting project,  it is definitely worth the cost and is a most important factor in determining the success of a California native landscape project.