Over the past few days we have received a number of phone calls from Landscapers and Homeowners alike all with the same problem: within 24 hours of applying mulch plants in the area all have dead leaves and appear burned:
Since we were getting multiple calls about this, I headed out to a site to take a look and talk to one of the landscapers experiencing the problem.
A logical conclusion to draw when you see this happening in a landscape in your care is that there is something in the mulch causing this to happen, especially when you have been mulching for years and have never had this happen before. Many of the people who called were interested in having their mulch tested for herbicide residue or some other chemical component that would be the cause of this damage. But if you are noticing bleached, scorched or yellow leaves, chances are the problem is Sour Mulch AKA Toxic Mulch or Wood Alcohol Syndrome.
Bucks Horticulture 