Most Ottr Landscape Supply materials are organic, untreated, and safe for gardens, pets, and kids. A few products use specific additives (color enhancement, traction salts, screened topsoil amendments) — every such case is explicitly noted on the product page.
What's untreated and safe
- Hemlock, Pine Bark, Red Cedar mulch — natural, no dyes, no chemical treatment
- Topsoil, Super Loam, Compost, Garden Soil Mix, Horticultural Soil Mix — screened natural soil, no chemical amendments
- Crushed stone, gravel, sand, riverbed rock — quarry or river-source aggregate, washed but otherwise untreated
- Playground Mulch (Certified) — specifically tested for child-safe applications, IPEMA certified
Products with additives (clearly labeled)
- Black Mulch, Brown Mulch, Red Mulch (color-enhanced) — use iron oxide or carbon black colorant. Safe for plants and humans; not recommended for direct contact with food crops.
- Treated Rock Salt — sprayed with magnesium chloride or calcium chloride brine for cold-temperature performance. Standard winter material; keep off lawns.
- Salt & Sand mixes (20/80, 50/50) — contain rock salt; use winter-specific application areas only.
For sensitive applications
- Vegetable gardens: use untreated mulch (hemlock, pine bark) only. Avoid color-enhanced mulches around food crops.
- Pet/dog yards: use any natural mulch. NEVER use cocoa hull mulch (toxic to dogs) — we don't carry it for this reason.
- Children's play areas: Playground Mulch (Certified) is the safe-by-design pick.
Browse the full product catalog — every product page lists material composition and any additives in the product description.
