Ah, spring! Time to get out and clean the gardens and apply mulch. Your Town Tree Committee (the Helena Bailey Spenser and Valyn Gallivan Funds) would like to offer you mulching suggestions that will keep your trees healthy.
Mulching greatly benefits young and newly planted trees by keeping weeds at bay, helping the soil to retain moisture and protecting the trees from mowers and weed whackers. Proper mulching is a good thing. We suggest that you avoid “volcano” mulching where the mulch is piled high against the tree. This exposes the bark to continual moisture, fungi and unwanted insects. Volcano mulching also encourages roots to grow into the mulch, weakening the tree, rather than out into the soil.
To properly mulch it is necessary to weed a two to three foot radius around the tree. Next, simply apply an organic mulch 2 to 3 inches deep being careful to keep it a few inches away from the tree. Mulching once a year in the spring is sufficient to protect the tree. The following year, be sure to loosen the mulch from the previous year before adding more being mindful of the total depth.