TOXIC MULCH @ Home Depot BEWARE
We picked up 5 bags of dark brown mulch at HD yesterday. It was on sale really cheep - you know the saying you get what you pay for. After it was spread out it smelled funny, not the usual compost funny more like a vinegar acid funny. We decided it needed to air out and let it be.
Today it smells the same. I decided to check the web and found that it is bad mulch stored improperly and it is TOXIC TO SHRUBS AND PLANTS! I just spent 2 hours removing as much as I could. We lost one shrub already our dwarf blue spruce is not looking too good, if my red maple is harmed I'm really going to be upset.
So family and friends open those bags and give them the sniff test before you bring them home. Better yet Stay Away from Home Depot when buying mulch.

http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/factsheets/mulch/toxicmulch.html