How to Make Colored Mulch

You can dye mulch to match the color of your landscaping.

If you acquire natural mulch, it may not look aesthetically pleasing with the color pallet of your landscaping. Fortunately, you can purchase mulch dye and make colored mulch that will better suit your needs. It is important to start with dry mulch to ensure the dye sinks into the wood fibers as deeply as possible. Wet mulch will prevent dye from soaking in and your mulch will look dull and worn out in no time.

Things You'll Need

• Mulch dye
• Pressurized sprayer
• Plastic drop cloth

Instructions

1. Mix water and mulch dye in a pressurized sprayer to a ratio of 16:1 or 16 ounces of water per ounce of dye. One ounce of dye mixed with water will cover approximately 16½ square feet of mulch.

2. Place the mulch on a sheet of plastic so you have a thin single layer of mulch.

3. Shake the container of dye to ensure the dye blends with the water and then pressurize the sprayer by pumping the handle.

4. Spray an even layer of dye over the surface of the mulch. Overlay each pass by 30 percent to ensure adequate and consistent covering. Wait approximately 60 minutes.

5. Turn the mulch over with a rake to expose the other side. Spray the mulch again just as you did the first time. Wait 60 minutes or until the dye is dry, and then distribute the mulch around your landscaping as desired.

References

• Mulch Dye: Mulch Dye Examples
• Donnan: Dyed Mulch