Good question - Over the years I have used the cedar droppings (this is called "Flagging" when the dry cedar leaves fall) as a mulch around trees and shrubs as they do keep down the weeds - but I do not like it around perennials, annuals or to use more than just a very thin layer around rhodies, azaleas and camellias. Here's the reason: cedar repels water and plants that like lots of moisture in the soil may suffer from a cedar leaf mulch. I will add a bit of cedar leaves to my compost pile but only when mixed with green grass clippings so it will break down quickly. Hope this helps - just remember small amounts of cedar leaves are fine, too much repels moisture. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti