There’s no denying that trees
are a gorgeous addition to any yard, and applying mulch around trees is one of
the best things you can do for the health of your trees, especially young trees
(to make sure the young sapling reaches maturity), or to maintain a preexisting
tree. Moreover, the aesthetic benefits that mulch provides for your yard is
just unbeatable.
Before we even begin, you need
to know what exactly qualifies as mulch, and the answer to that would be more
or less any organic matter serves as mulch, from wood chips, to compost, to
straw. Homeowners and landscapers tend to apply too much mulch which can
severely hurt the tree since when you use too much mulch you expose your tree
to insects & diseases caused by mulch irritation on the trunk of the tree,
root rot from excess moisture, rodent issues since piling mulch around a tree
trunk creates habitats for rodents that chew the tree’s bark. Once your tree
has developed one or more of these complications, it can die. If your tree has
been over-mulched, just remove or spread out the excess mulch. If your tree has
been over-mulched for years, you will most likely need a few treatments, such
as root collar excavation, bio-stimulants, etc. – to get it healthy again. “Mulch
volcano” is an industry nickname that describes the excessive use of mulch
around a tree.
Although trees can die for
many reasons, ranging from malnutrition, storm damage to insect infestation or
disease, but mulch is often the easiest way to protect an ailing tree. If you
need mulch, Curb Appeal Lawn Care
professionals in Simpsonville, SC can deliver free wood chips if we have a load
from our daily work and are near your home. Other lawn care services offered
include mowing, weed eating, edging and blowing; hedge trimming; aerating and seeding;
pooper scooping, leaf removal/property clean-ups and more.
You should remember that there
are different mulches for different trees. For example, for an evergreen tree
or conifer you should use wood or bark chips from a conifer. In the same way,
use hardwood mulch chips if your tree is a hardwood. If you use hardwood mulch
chips around a conifer, it could raise the pH levels to a harmful level for the
tree. Better be careful.
There are many positives that
come from using mulch around your trees, including
1.
Traps
moisture
2.
Deters
weeds from growing
3.
Prevents
soil compaction
4.
Prevents
erosion
5.
Protects
the roots of the tree
6.
Reduces
lawn mower damage to the tree
7.
Provides
extra nutrition (organic mulch options include compost, animal manure, shredded
leaves, grass clippings, nut shells, newspaper, straw, and much more)
8.
Maintains
soil temperature (giving your tree a better chance of survival and allowing it
to flourish)
9.
Adds style
to your yard (mulch is simply a style choice for many homeowners)
For the best results, mulch in
mid to late spring to give the soil a chance to warm, use organic mulch for
your soil to get most nutrients, once a month you should rake through your
mulch to create better drainage and avoid fungus, consult with a professional which
mulch is most appropriate for your project, and use a mulch calculator to
assess how much mulch you need
Your trees won’t reap the
aforementioned benefits if you don’t apply your mulch correctly (a thick two-to-four-inch
layer of mulch should be applied in a circle around your tree), and there is
also a correct time to apply much.
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