Decado
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Location: Crystal, MN (Zone 4)

Cocoa Bean Hull Mulch

I read that this is a really good mulch as it interlocks so it's really good at keeping weeds away, and that it can build the soil. Can this mulch be used in vegetable gardens as well as perennial/annual gardens? Or is it something you wouldn't want tilled in the next year? Also, is there still as much of a risk, if any, of fungus growing and spreading in cocoa bean mulch like it would in wood mulch or grass mulch?

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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Try "cocoa mulch" in the searchbox for its advantages/disadvantages.
My experience is that it's not a good mulching material. HG said it's great as BROWN ingred. in a compost pile BECAUSE it promotes fungal activity. It's toxic to dogs. It smells wonderfully :wink: chocolatey. It attracts rodents.

cynthia_h
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Location: El Cerrito, CA

Oh, please, no no no do not use this. If there are any dogs or cats who may come into contact with the soil you treat with the cocoa-bean-hull mulch, their lives are very much in danger. :(

Please read these threads, which contain the links and information I and at least one other gardener found a few months back:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8019

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8045

But an even stronger reason to avoid this product, to my mind, is that the makers DO NOT WARN of the toxicity on the bags. Every year, dozens if not hundreds of dogs and cats die from theobromine toxicity, and I'm sure a lot of it is due to the non-labelling tactic. :evil:

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9



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