Mulch Dye vs. New Mulch Test

mulch dye vs. new mulch test results are in!

Mulch dye can be sprayed on your current mulch and give the appearance of new, fresh mulch, at a fraction of the price. But will it hold up against the rain, sun, and outdoor elements? Is it truly a valid replacement to mulching your yard year after year? We needed to find out by conducting our own test.

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    Mulch Dye Test Recap

    In our previous blog post about mulch dye, we highlighted the appeal of dying your mulch instead of paying for new mulch and spending hours (sometimes days) spreading it. Our current home, The Arched Manor, has a significant amount of landscaping that requires pallets of mulch every spring.

    This spring, we did a hybrid approach to mulching. We mixed in new mulch in areas that were thin, and then sprayed the old mulch (which was still in descent condition) with mulch dye. This required us to spread less new mulch and kept our costs down. Great! But, we needed to test how the dye compared to new mulch after the dark color faded. And while we are at it, we tested two different popular mulch dye products against each other to see which one lasted longer.

    Our test was applied to three trees that all receive the same sun exposure. The first tree received ColorBack Mulch Dye, the second tree received Peach Country Black Mulch Dye, and the third tree received a fresh bag of Scotts Earthgro Black Mulch. We took pictures every week for four weeks to track the durability of each product. Brace yourselves…here are the results!

    Mulch Dye Test Results

    Mulch Dye Test Results

    As you can see above, the clear winner is fresh, black mulch.

    There are a couple of reasons why new mulch is better than spraying dye.

    • Since the product is dyed at the factory, every side of the mulch pieces are black, and the consistency of the black color is better than the other two trees (that were sprayed).
    • The color in the pre-dyed mulch lasts longer.
    • Adding new mulch creates another barrier to prevent weeds from growing in.

    Second place is the Black Mulch Dye fro Peach Country. This actually was darker than fresh mulch when first applied. However, over the four week period, it faded and the coloring was inconsistent (patchy) by the end.

    Third place is the ColorBlack Dye – the initial application was not as dark as the others and the color faded very quickly. After two weeks, the color was essentially gone.

    Mulch Dye gives patchy results
    Mulch dye drips and stains walkway
    Mulch dye gets on roots of plants.

    Lasting consistency seemed to be the biggest issue with spraying mulch. Since only the top layer of the much is sprayed, if the mulch was moved at all (by wind, foot traffic, birds, garden hoses, etc.) then the old mulch color would show through, which creates a patchy look. Even after four weeks, the bagged mulch color was still dark and even and had a better “look” than the sprayed mulch.

    Pros and Cons of Mulch Dye

    Based on our experience with mulch dye, here are our top pros and cons:

    Pros:

    Cons:

    Is Mulch Dye Better than New Mulch?

    Bottom line – No, new mulch is better than using mulch dye.  Will we use our hybrid approach of new mulch and spraying dye next year? It all depends. As appealing as the concept of mulch dye is, you just can’t beat that dark and consistent look of fresh mulch! However, if some of our mulch is still in good condition after a year and needs a facelift, or if we are on a budget, we may consider it again.

    If you have any tips or suggestions on how to keep mulch costs down, please post in the comments section below!

    Questions and Answers

    Mulch dye is a liquid that can be sprayed on your current mulch and give the appearance of new, fresh mulch, at a fraction of the price.

    Mulch dye comes in a concentrate and you will need to mix it with water according to the manufacturer's instructions.  A sprayer should be used to apply the mulch dye to your mulch beds. 

    You can use mulch dye to add color back into your existing mulch beds. Mulch dye concentrate can be purchased in stores and online - this is mixed with water and applied to existing mulch to rejuvenate the appearance of your mulch. 

    Based on our tests, mulch dye is good for a short term fix, but is not an alternative to new mulch. New mulch holds up better over time and provides better weed control throughout the season. 

    Yes! Mulch dye can be used to recolor mulch to your original color (black, brown, red, etc.). 

    Mulch dye can be purchased as a concentrate and you will need to mix it with water according to the manufacturer's instructions.  A sprayer should be used to apply the mulch dye to your mulch beds. 

    Mulch dye can be purchased in black, brown, and red. 

    Yes, mulch dye does have some disadvantages: 

     

    • Color fades quickly
    • Foot traffic or wind can create a patchy appearance
    • The dye can stain concrete or walkways (tough to get straight line of dye)
    • Can clog sprayer (mixing according to directions resulted in two clogged sprayers)
    • Can easily spray surrounding plants or flowers accidentally.

    Yes, using mulch dye is just as safe as using regular dyed mulch in your garden. 

    You can purchase mulch dye online. Amazon carries many varieties shown here.  

    Yes, we found that mulch dye can stain pavers, concrete, sidewalks, etc.  When applying mulch dye with a sprayer, we experienced staining on our flagstone both from overspray and from drips from the nozzle. 

    Mulch color can be restored using mulch dye. Mulch dye concentrate can be purchased in stores and online - this is mixed with water and applied to existing mulch to rejuvenate the appearance of your mulch. 

    About The Authors

    About The Authors

    John and Megan are the founders of Arched Manor, which is a passion-project turned business featuring home design, renovations, DIY tutorials, décor, e-Design, and 3-D rendering services. This married couple lives in Leesburg, Virginia, and is currently renovating The Arched Manor, a brick colonial house built in 2000.

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    Leave a Comment

    The Comments

    • Nancy C. . Jeffcoat
      May 21, 2021

      I had intended to put black mulch in the walkways of my English Garden.Never giving a thought to staining of my feet(I NEVER ) wear shoes. Not to mention what it did to my hands when I forgot to glove. Can the mulch be sprayed with a clear acrylic? Or should I exchange it for something else? HELP QUICK. I was going to finish the project tomorrow !! Thanks Nancy

    • Mulch Dye – Does it work? – Arched Manor
      March 24, 2022

      […] We have completed our mulch dye test, check out this blog to see the results! […]

    Meet Megan & John

    Hi there! We’re a married couple with a passion for DIY, decor, and home improvement! We’re currently renovating The Arched Manor in Leesburg, VA.