Make Your Trees Happier With Mulch

You can improve the health of your trees with mulch. Mulch is an organic material applied to the ground around trees or plants. Common mulch materials are bark nuggets, wood chips, leaves, pine needles or even lawn clippings.

There are several advantages to mulching your trees. First, is that the mulch helps the soil retain water and helps eliminate the need to water as often (10 to 25% reduction in water evaporation). Second, the mulch helps prevent soil erosion around the tree. Third, it protects the roots from extreme hot and cold by providing an insulating layer. Fourth, it prevents weeds from growing. Finally, the mulch provides a buffer from lawn mowers which helps avoid physical damage to the trunk from collisions.

When mulching, you want the layer to be two to four inches deep after it has settled. Mulch will be "puffier" after you first apply it. As such, you will need to apply a few more inches at application to achieve the desired depth after settling. Different materials settle at different rates so you will need to experiment with your particular mulch choice. As a rough guide, you will need 35 cubic feet of material to cover a 100 square foot area to 6" deep.

Generally, the best time to apply mulch is in the late spring when the ground has warmed up. By applying too early in the year, you run the risk of keeping ground temperatures too low for too long which can inhibit root growth. That said, however, mulch can be applied at any time of the year.

Mulch should extend out four to six feet from the tree trunk. Also, it is advisable to pull the mulch back and inch or two from the trunk to help prevent bark decay. You might consider back filling this area with stone.

Black plastic is often used under mulch to inhibit weed growth but it is not advisable. Plastic prevents the exchange of water and nutrients thereby weakening the tree. A better alternative is landscaping fabric which is designed to be used under mulch and allow nutrient exchange while inhibiting weeds. Of course, if you have a very large mature tree the use of plastic under the mulch won't make much difference.

With a little bit of effort you can make your trees more healthy and strong while also improving the look of your home. Mulched trees provide a much more appealing look than the lawn growing right up to the trees. Give your yard that extra pizzazz and mulch your trees this weekend!

To learn more about mulching trees and flower beds visit www.advancedirrigationmn.com.

Article independently authored by Eric Parish. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Advanced Irrigation of Minnesota.