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njmastergardener

Deadly Mulch

njmastergardener
18 years ago

I'm a Master Gardener in NJ. I have heard of a cocoa hull mulch that is being sold on the market. It is a very light weight mulch, with a nice dark color and an intoxicating smell of chocolate. It was sold in 1995 at a Franks near me. Then it was taken off their shelves due to an issue. I had not much info on what this issue was, till this summer. A dear gardening friend of mine decided to try this cocoa hull mulch in her flower beds. Later that week she called me to tell me that her Beloved German Sheppard had died. She proceeded to tell me that her dog had eaten some cocoa hull mulch and died within 2 hours.

Those of us that are pet lovers know chocolate candy is deadly to dogs.

The Persons/ Master Gardeners in Burlington County NJ are pushing this product with out any disclaimer or warning to the public of the hazards of this product.

My business partner and I have spent about 3 weeks researching this product, calling Hershey and other companys selling this product.

What we have found is that, 4 oz is deadly to an 80 lb dog, 2 oz is toxic to children under 40 lbs of weight, and that the cocoa hull mulch changes the ph of the soil so rapidly, that it can change the numbers of your last soil sample in one season.

I feel gardeners are also good consumers and would rather have all the info about a product, than being horribly shocked when something happens. Please pass on this info to others. More info can be found at my web page in the next few weeks. www.mygrandmothersgarden.com

There will also be an article written by my business partner that will be in the newspaper in the next few weeks.

Happy Gardeners are safe gardeners! including their pets

Comments (11)

  • ironbelly1
    18 years ago

    Pah-leese...

    This is exactly the kind of fear mongering that embarrasses anyone who values research-based information -- the bulwark of Master Gardening. This is a very old story that has been around for well over a decade. As with anything (like table salt), a product used improperly or in the wrong situation can cause problems.

    And where, exactly, can I find the research on these laughable pH assertions?

    We need more research; not more emotional crusades.

    IronBelly

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    18 years ago

    Yes, I'd agree this issue has taken on more of the aspect of an urban legend than one with scientific merit supporting it. First, not all cocoa bean hulls are created equally - it is the chemical theobromine which provides the toxicity. This is concentrated in dark or baker's chocolate (canines would have to consume a significant quantity of milk chocolate to incur anything more than an upset stomach - it's not good for them but certainly not poisonous) and can be of significant presence in cocoa bean hulls UNLESS the hulls have been thoroughly dried. The oil is dissipated in the drying process and thoroughly dried hulls should contain little if any theobromine and therefore pose minimal threat to animals.

    Second, the chocolately aroma which is attractive to pets and kids also dissipates rapidly. No scent = very little attraction.

    Third, cocoa hulls have a pH of 5.8. A bit on the acidic side, making them a good mulch to use with ericaceous plants. Soils have a buffering capacity that resist significant changes in pH - more in clay soils, less so in sandy soils. One would have to apply a considerable quantity of cocoa hulls AND incorporate them well into the soil to alter soil chemistry to any significant degree. And the effect would be only temporary at best. When used as a mulch or top dressing the effect on soil pH is minimal. NPK is 2.5-1-3, so unlike wood mulches, does not affect nitrogen availability. I'd be cautious about using this mulch heavily around plants which have a phosphorus aversion, however.

    In short, they make an excellent organic and soil improving mulch and have an additional benefit of being a slug deterrent. Inaccuracies in Internet reporting aside, if you have concerns about their use, select something else for your mulch of choice. There are many others that would work equally as well, but to encourage the dissemination of inaccurate information is irresponsible and unnecessarily fear-inducing.

  • jean001
    18 years ago

    Always verify rumors and supposed warnings before passing them on.

    Here's info from Snope's Urban Legends
    http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoa.htm

    Here is a link that might be useful: Snope's on cocoa mulch

  • jean001
    18 years ago

    Here's an entire page of links to sites with info re hoaxes.

    http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/HBOtherHoaxPages.html

    Here is a link that might be useful: links to pages w/info re hoaxes

  • eddie_ga_7a
    18 years ago

    The only thing I've heard negative about cocoa hull mulch is that it can form a mold that makes a crust on the surface. Not sure how big a problem that can be. I am proud of my fellow Master Gardeners who posted here and offered a different viewpoint.

  • ginger_nh
    18 years ago

    To clarify, as it seems that the above responses, for the most part, are defining the cocoa mulch problem as a hoax or myth: go to the Snopes hoaxbuster site (which I have used many a time and find invaluable)and you will find that the original poster was correct in assuming that cocoa mulch is not a great choice if you have dogs. It may be unlikely that ill effects will occur, but it has happened. ASPCA does not recommend it; check out their report, linked at the bottom of the Snopes site.

    Ginger
    MG '99

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    18 years ago

    OK, let's clarify a bit. Chocolate products that contain high levels of theobromine can be toxic to dogs and cats. This is neither a myth or a hoax. However, not all processed and commercially bagged cocoa hulls sold as mulch contain high levels of theobromine - many have been treated (primarily through extensive drying processes) to the point that theobromine levels are minimal.

    The urban legend part of the story is that there is an immediate assumption that once cocoa hull mulch is applied, dogs and cats will be attracted to it from miles around and feed on it to the point of death. It is not necessarily widely available in all parts of the country and here where it has been sold for years, there have been very few reports of any accidental poisonings, let alone deaths, of family pets - much like previous reports of the deadly nature of Christmas poinsettas to children and family pets (truly a myth), it is a case of a few instances that get reported and blown out of proportion.

    As to the issue of radically altering soil pH, there is no literature OR scientific documention to support it and logic would dictate it has minimal effect.

    No one here is urging anyone to go out and purchase cocoa bean hulls to be used as a mulch. It does have value in that regard for a number of reasons, but its use is purely a personal choice. I don't use it myself because I prefer to mulch with compost and I don't care for the texture or the appearance through our wet winters. Also, I find the scent of chocolate cloying, even for the short period of time this stuff does emit such an aroma.

    But the uniform labeling of "deadly" to this product without an understanding of the circumstances and all the variables involved is a bit of a stretch and unnecessarily alarmist.

  • eddie_ga_7a
    18 years ago

    GardenGal: Well said. Are you married? (just kidding)

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    18 years ago

    Eddie: thank you and no. But not looking either :-)) Been there, done that.

  • ironbelly1
    18 years ago

    I don't want to marry you either, Eddie.

    ***********************************

    Our friend from the Pacific Northwest has stated it well. However, I also welcome the comments from Ginger, who as usual, is able to make additions to fully round out a discussion -- and there is nothing wrong with that.

    Along that same vein, allow me to expand this whole discussion into an area that gets a little dicey. Some people do not like pets. I know, I know ... it is a hard thing for some pet owners to accept but it is a hard reality of the broad spectrum of the public that MGs have to deal with.

    Particularly since there is a sizable number of irresponsible pet owners (it is the owner's fault - not the pet's fault) this is a topic that rankles more than a few gardeners. Although I am not condoning it: I know of gardeners who hope the neighbor's pet(s) will get into something poisonous. I have to say that over the years I have had more damage done to my gardens by other people's pets than by any other factor -- although squirrels rank right up there.

    I grew up on the farm taking care of animals. I love animals but I hate the damage caused by uncontrolled animals. Well-trained animals are an absolute delight -- if only we could train some of the owners that well!

    The analogy that I like to use is between smokers and pet owners. Personally, I think everyone should have the right to participate in either or both activities if they so choose. However, I donÂt think either has the right to impose their choice or the consequences of their choice on everyone else. I have answered almost as many Hort Clinic calls about neighboring pet complaints as I have about deer. The original poster seems to assume that everyone loves pets as much as she does. Over the years, one thing that I have learned as an MG is that you canÂt assume anything. There are a fair number of gardeners out there who donÂt like your pet and sincerely wish that they could avoid having to suffer the consequences of your delight.

    IronBelly

  • eddie_ga_7a
    18 years ago

    Obnoxious people have obnoxious pets.