Landscaping with mulch
a green alternative to outdoor design
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — For two years now Darren Donovan, president of Aroostook Arborculture Inc., has been taking recycling to a new level, turning yard debris and wood into mulch used in landscaping.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
EEK, A MOUSE! — Nimaway Taylor, the 4-and-a-half-year-old daughter of Jasmine and Nathan Michaud of Presque Isle, inspects a bag of mulch she got when she visited Aroostook Arborculture, Inc.’s booth at the Presque Isle Kiwanis Club’s Home and Garden Show. Taylor insisted she saw a mouse inside but took the bag home anyway, with plans to use it for a gardening project.
“I have a tree service. I take the trees I remove and chip them with a wood chipper, then take the chips and dump them at my 101 Fort Road mulch site,” said Donovan.
Donovan said it’s a relatively simple process to create the differing colors of mulch he sells.
“I take a set amount of chips, based on color. Each color requires a certain amount of dye per yardage. I mix the ingredients, dump it into a tub grinder and it chews the chips down to smaller particle size, pounding the dye into the chips in the process,” he said.
“I use an industry-standard dye that’s environmentally safe,” added Donovan.
Donovan said it’s a common misconception that when you buy wood chips, it’s all from the same type tree.
“Unless you’re buying with a name on it, you’re buying a mixture of hard and softwood — whatever’s available for waste wood,” said Donovan, noting that’s how his mulch is made, using scrap material that would be hauled to the landfill or otherwise disposed of.
He likes the fact that he’s putting a waste product back on the market.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
TALKING BUSINESS — Darren Donovan, owner of Aroostook Arborculture, Inc., of Presque Isle, at left, talks with a visitor during the Kiwanis Club’s Home and Garden Show held at the Forum April 16. Seated at the table at right is Jerry Smith, of Castle Hill. Donovan’s business transforms mulch from various debris, creating various colors of mulch for use in gardens, landscaping and more.
“It’s 100 percent recycled. I get chips from my competitors — other tree services — who bring me their ‘trash’ that I then make mulch from. I also take in brush from residential projects — people cutting brush around their homes drop off material at my Fort Road location. There’s no charge to drop at my site,” he said.
Donovan said it’s a two-step process to convert wood debris into mulch.
“Everything I do is twice done — either chipped and ground or chipped and ground with dye in it. All-natural mulch is better for use in a garden and can be tilled in. Dyed mulch is better for flowers, around houses or landscaping around trees and flower beds. It helps prevent drainage, retaining water and keeping vegetation looking better longer when there’s a lack of rain,” Donovan said.
His recent attendance at the Presque Isle Kiwanis Club’s Home and Garden Show gave him an opportunity to meet the public and share some landscaping tips. He handed out balloons and sample bags of mulch to the younger visitors to his booth.
Nimaway Taylor, the 4-and-a-half-year-old daughter of Jasmine and Nathan Michaud of Presque Isle, was at first startled when she examined her bag of mulch.
“There’s a mouse in it,” said Taylor, holding the bag at arm’s length, insisting she’d seen a little mouse inside.
Donovan said while he’s seen mice at his mulching site, he was confident no mice made it into the sample bags.
Taylor said she had plans for her mulch sample.
“I’m gonna plant a flower,” she said.
When asked what type of flower, Taylor responded, “A red flower.”
Donovan said now is a great time to plan for those summer mulching projects. He provides delivery service within Aroostook County.
“I offer delivery on a scale basis, based on mileage/distance from my site. Mulch is sold by the cubic yard. It’s very environmentally friendly and makes a yard more attractive, while also retaining water and keeping your plants and trees in good shape,” said Donovan.
For more information or to place an order, call 554-0389.
