Back in March we tested out a new mulch called Salt Hay. It’s not straw, it’s not hay, so what is it?
Salt Hay is Spartina patens, “which is a type of natural cord grass that grows throughout salt marshes along the Eastern Seaboard. Salt Hay is considered one of the best natural mulches when compared with other common alternatives like hardwood chips, grass clippings, and more,” according to its producers.
While I was concerned with the idea of shipping mulch across the country instead of using a local source for mulch, I found the benefits outweighed the deficits. Here’s the main reason:
Why is it Better Than Straw and Hay? – Straw and hay are byproducts of the wheat industry. What you might not know is that conventional wheat (and it’s byproducts) are almost always sprayed with glyphosate to dry down the crop before harvesting.
See, wheat doesn’t uniformly ripen. Some stalks may be slightly green while the stalks right next door are ready for harvest. If farmers wait until everything naturally dries down, some seed heads will have shattered, losing the grain.
Salt Hay is not sprayed. You can reliably use it knowing that you don’t have glyphosate residues on your mulch. And unlike regular hay, it doesn’t have seeds that will germinate in your garden. It also is naturally mold resistant and lasts for several seasons.
We put this mulch down in March, and it still looks the same 4 months later! It has settled a bit, but shows no sign of degrading. See an image of this bed a few weeks after we planted here.
Giveaway!
GIVEAWAY! We’re partnering with SaltHay.com to give away one small box (shown above) to one follower on Instagram. Head on over to the Gardenerd Instagram feed, like the Salt Hay post there, click to follow us, and add a comment on how you would use Salt Hay in your garden. We’ll pick one winner and announce it on IG (and here) on Wednesday, July 23, 2025.
While you’re at it, check out their Pine Straw! We’ve used pine straw mulch in our community garden plot for decades to keep weeds at bay (it’s naturally antimicrobial). It smells divine and lasts a long time. We also tested out a small box of their Pine Straw and it’s holding up beautifully. We liked it so much we became an affiliate member. So use the links in this blog post to help support Gardenerd.
Mulch is good! Salt Hay Mulch is really good. Get some for your own garden today.
