Cocoa hulls as mulch?
The other day, as I stood at the front door of my new listing, I noticed the delicious smell of chocolate. As a lover of the sweet stuff, I found the scent both pleasant and puzzling. Where was that unmistakable scent coming from?
As I was outside taking flyer and Web photos of the house, I gave it little further thought until one of my sellers came home. I asked him to come take a whiff at the front door. Although he had not previously noted the aroma, he quickly agreed that his house did, indeed, smell like chocolate. He mentioned the possibility that his friend, who helped him landscape, had put down mulch. Could that be the source?
Back home, I Googled “chocolate mulch” and there it was! Cocoa hulls! A by-product of the chocolate industry, the hulls are now being recycled as mulch. Although the small, dark brown (and oh-so-fragrant) pieces create an attractive appearance, there is a danger.
Chocolate contains a chemical that is toxic and potentially lethal to dogs. The mulch has a high concentration of this chemical. Fortunately, my seller does not have a dog and the front yard has a retaining wall making it difficult for dogs on the street to reach it.
I look forward to comments from those who visit my open house on Sunday.