Cocoa Shells Garden Mulch
When cocoa beans are roasted, their shells separate from the bean. Unlike mulch made from wood chips and shredded bark, using cocoa shell mulch in your garden repurposes a by-product that would otherwise be discarded from the chocolate-making process. We collaborate with our local chocolate producer J Cocoa, to utilize this resource efficiently.
A superb garden mulch and soil conditioner. Dig it into soils as it is excellent at moisture retention and breaking up heavy soils.
Benefits:
- Cocoa Shell is packed full of healthy nutrients for all your plants.
- Better at weed suppression eliminating the need for chemical-laden herbicides.
- The texture deters slugs and snails.
- Encourages earthworms (You want these critters in your soil because they aerate the soil and release nutrients into it. Basically, they work as little natural fertilizers.)
Avoid use of cocoa shell mulch in landscaping accessible to unsupervised dogs.
When cocoa beans are roasted, the shell separates from the bean. The roasting process sterilizes the shells so that they are weed free and organic. Cocoa shell mulch suppresses weeds from growing, so you don’t have to weed as often. After you water the mulch, the cocoa shells (which resemble flakes) bind together to form a loosely knit structure. This binding slows weeds from popping up. It won’t stop them completely though. So, layer on the mulch and save yourself the work.
Many gardeners enjoy the sweet smell and attractive appearance of cocoa shell mulch. Freshly applied cocoa smell mulch leaves your garden with the lingering smell of chocolate. You can especially smell the chocolatey scent after a good rain or when the sun hits your garden. The aroma should last for several weeks, if not longer.
There are several cocoa mulch benefits to using cocoa hulls in the garden. Organic cocoa mulch, offers the same benefits as bark mulch, its a great fertilizer and soil conditioner, and you can dig it into your soil to improve the overall texture.
Cocoa shell mulch will break down slowly over time. As it decomposes, the mulch will add nutrients, including protein, nitrogen, phosphate and potash and has a pH of 5.8, adds beneficial nutrients to the soil. Some mulch made from bark actually takes nitrogen out of the soil, but cocoa shell mulch gives it back.
Using cocoa hulls in the garden is an excellent way to increase soil vitality and is an attractive top cover for both flower beds and vegetable patches. Cocoa bean hulls also help retain moisture and reduce weeds organically, eliminating the need for chemical-laden herbicides.
Cocoa shell mulch also insulates plants, which keeps them cool on hot days and warm on chilly ones.
Some gardeners perfer cocoa mulch because isn't heavy. You can easily distribute bags of it around your garden without over-exerting yourself. Because cocoa mulch isn't muddy or clingy, it isn't messy to work with. And, it's green! Unlike mulch made from wood chips and shredded bark, spreading cocoa shell mulch across your garden reuses a product that would otherwise get discarded. (Sometimes wood chips and shredded bark are by products of other industries, but you have to check the package to make sure.) But, cocoa shell mulch only comes from the shells of cocoa beans used for other purposes.
Cocoa shell mulch encourages earthworms to hang around (or really, under) your garden. You want these critters in your soil because they aerate the soil and release nutrients into it. Basically, they work as little natural fertilizers.
Cocoa shell mulch has many benefits for savvy gardeners, but a word of caution. Cocoa shells can be just as dangerous to pets as a chocolate bar. Make sure to fence off your garden to keep out curious cats and dogs. Or, watch them closely.
WHAT IS IT USED FOR?
Cocoa Shell is a superb garden mulch and soil conditioner. The vast majority of the product is used as a garden mulch, although some gardeners dig it into sandy or clay soils as it is excellent at moisture retention and breaking up heavy soils. As a mulch it is used as a top cover in any beds, generally after planting, although it is simple to plant through the mulch.
HOW IS IT APPLIED?
Cocoa Shell is very easy to apply. Plant your bedding etc., remove the most obvious weeds and put down the cocoa shell to a depth of 5cm (2"). Spread the shell as evenly as possible using your hands, a rake, spade etc. It really needs 5cm (2") for it to work properly, so don't be too stingy!! Once the cocoa shell id down water it in with a hose and sprayer or watering can; to give you an idea you would need one watering can to one bag. This releases a natural gum which binds the shells together to form a loosely knitted porous mat. This 'mat' allows water through, bulbs to grow through, plants to expand etc etc, but prevents weeds from coming up and reduces water evaporation from the soil surface.
WHAT TO EXPECT?
Adding any mulch is good for the garden but Cocoa Shell is the best mulch on the market. And here is why:
1. It looks much better than other mulches. It begins life as a reddy brown colour but after time darkens to give a rich brown colour that stays for its life. Bark tends to bleach in the sun giving an uneven and untidy appearance. Cocoa Shell gives a lovely contrast to foliage and flowers.
2. Cocoa Shell is packed full of healthy nutrients for all your plants. See below for a link to the technical specifications, but it has a Nitrogen:Phosphorous:Potash of 3:1:3, which is better than any other mulch. It means it has enough Nitrogen within itself to compost down, whereas bark robs the soil of Nitrogen as it composts and hence deprives plants of this nutrient.
3. It works better than the other mulches. It is better at weed suppression because of the loosely knitted porous mat, and for the same reason better at keeping moisture in the ground (up to 50% better in independent tests). So for a low maintenance option cocoa shell is the best mulch
4. The texture deters slugs and snails. The texture is not dissimilar to broken egg shells, and hence slugs and snails do not like it. As such it is a very environmentally nematode deterrent. Many Hosta growers use it on top of pots for this reason, and as any Hosta lovers know, this plant is favourite dish of these slimey pests!
5. Most cats do not like the texture either, so again it is a cat friendly way to keep them off your borders.
IS IT MORE EXPENSIVE THAN BARK?
Yes, but only slightly. The bags are generally bigger because it is a light product and because smaller bags just don't cover a sensible area. So per litre or per ground cover metre, it is only slightly more expensive than bark. But good products cost more money than poorer products.