Q: I want to mulch the beds in my yard and we really like black mulch because it makes the plants and flowers stand out. A neighbor said that black mulch is a bad idea because it absorbs heat from the sun and this harms plants.

A: I don’t think you’ll have a problem as long as the mulch layer is an appropriate depth, typically an inch or two. Any deeper than that and it might hold enough moisture and heat to sour and produce chemicals that would hurt your plants or yield unwanted mushrooms.