Brown died mulch - Ask Extension
We are having some professional landscaping done in April and currently died brown mulch is in the plan.
Do you know what is in the dyes they use? A...
Knowledgebase
Brown died mulch #925837
Asked March 11, 2026, 10:32 AM EDT
We are having some professional landscaping done in April and currently died brown mulch is in the plan.
Do you know what is in the dyes they use? Are they bad for the environment?
We are in clarskville on a well and the property is on a slight incline.
I don't know exactly how much mulch we're talking but its not a small amount - Maybe 50 large bags.
Thank you
Howard County Maryland
Expert Response
We don't have information on dye ingredients, although Penn State Extension does present some info about dyed mulch that may be of interest (see the linked page). Sunlight will slowly fade the dye color over time, so be aware that it won't retain a rich red-brown or black for the lifetime of the mulch. While we don't have scientific evidence that the dyes are necessarily harmful (to plants; it's not known about any other impacts, like any runoff into waterways), it would be simplest if you have ecological concerns to avoid it and use untreated natural mulch instead (wood chips, shredded bark or pine bark chips, pine needles, leaf litter, etc.).
Miri
Miri
