|
More About Mulch
The most common mulching mistake with trees is applying the mulch layer up close around the tree. When mulching trees keep in mind the pile spread around should look like a donut not a volcano. Prolonged exposure of the tree trunk to the moist mulch can result in decay of the bark layer of the tree, resulting in poor growth. Properly applied mulch around a tree should start out a few inches from the trunk and extend at least three feet out from the base. The depth of the mulch layer should be about three inches and no more than four inches.
Mulching shrubs requires that same basic guidelines as far as depth of the layer. Caution should also be used when piling up mulch around the base or trunk of the plant. Place the material back away a few inches from the base. Shrubs look best in the landscape when large beds or groupings of plants are all mulched together. Avoid shrub placement and mulching that results in islands of mulch in the landscape.
|