These barks are mainly used as ground covers. Their high acidity makes them both very desirable for keeping weeds down in planting areas. Freeway barks cling together to form a mat like surface when used on hillsides or slopes. The mat they provide also helps retain ground water and will protect plants from drying out.

Freeway Bark should be placed at least 4-6" deep: the deeper the bark is the greater the weed control and water retention.

While these barks will not hurt a plant which it is next to or around, it should not be used as a soil amendment as they are too "hot" and have a high oil content.

As a rule, Redwood Bark lasts about twice as long as Cedar Bark.

Fir Barks

This is mainly a decorative bark. They can be used as a weed block, but are not as effective as their more acidic counterparts the Redwood and Cedar Barks. Both a rapid decomposition and a tendency to float ( the smaller the bark, the less it floats) limits its use in some applications.