Truth or Myth? Volca-NO Mulch!

Volcano Mulching Technique – Truth or Myth? – Myth

 

Volcano – A natural phenomenonof the world we live in.  A catastrophic natural event that cannot be controlled by any human intervention.

 

Volcano Mulching – An all too common practice in which excessive mulch is mounded around the trunk of a tree.  A catastrophic practice which CAN be controlled by human intervention.

 

Unfortunately, “volcano mulching” is commonly found throughout landscapes across the world.  The piling of the mulch around the trunk of the tree can be extremely detrimental to the health of the tree.  It can lead to increase temperatures and excessive moisture retention, ultimately leading to a great environment for fungal growth which can then lead to decay and many other problems.

As you may have read on our mulch page, mulching your trees can provide many great benefits to the health of the tree.  But these benefits can only be achieved when the mulch is applied properly.  Remember to keep the mulch away from the trunk of the tree, do not mound the mulch around the tree, and you should only need a 2” – 3” layer of mulch evenly spread around the tree.

Below is the desired mulching technique –

 

So, next time you’re out at your local shopping mall or taking your dog for a walk, try and count to see how often this unfortunate practice of “volcano mulching” is occurring.

Leave a comment if you’re against volcano mulching, and together we can stop the spread of this unfortunate sight!