How to Make Mulch Dye
Dye mulch a range of colors, including shades of gold, red, brown and black, when you make mulch dye. Colored mulches have a range of uses, beyond decorative, including absorbing the sun to heat animal pens. Colored mulches, through reflective properties, even benefit how plants grow, taste and smell, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
Put on old clothing and garden gloves to protect clothing and hands from the semi-permanent dye.
Measure 16 oz. of colorant into a 5-gallon bucket. Pour 1 1/2 gallons of clean water into the bucket. Follow specific mixing ingredients included with your colorant; most mulch colorants specify similar instructions. Mix the colorant and water with a paint stirrer to make the dye.
- Dye mulch a range of colors, including shades of gold, red, brown and black, when you make mulch dye.
- Colored mulches have a range of uses, beyond decorative, including absorbing the sun to heat animal pens.
Pour the mixture into a garden sprayer or other container used to apply the solution.
Dye Mulch
Cover hardscape areas including walkways, patios and rock walls or the corners of your house with plastic sheeting to prevent the dye from staining them if they are near the mulch. The dye-to-water ratio will vary based on the brand of dye, and whether the mulch was colored previously. Covering old dye takes a stronger solution than dying mulch for the first time. Fill a garden sprayer with the dye solution.
Tip
Purchase a mulch colorant from one of several online mulch colorant dealers or ask a hardware store if it sells mulch colorant.
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References
Tips
- Purchase a mulch colorant from one of several online mulch colorant dealers or ask a hardware store if it sells mulch colorant.
Writer Bio
Sommer Leigh has produced home, garden, family and health content since 1997 for such nationally known publications as "Better Homes and Gardens," "Ladies' Home Journal," "Midwest Living," "Healthy Kids" and "American Baby." Leigh also owns a Web-consulting business and writes for several Internet publications. She has a Bachelor of Science in information technology and Web management from the University of Phoenix.
