What is Mulching?

When used properly, mulch is something that can take an adequate plant or tree to superstar status. It’s a gardening must have that is nonetheless often left out of the mix. But why anyone would skip mulching is a mystery. All the good things you can do for your plants and trees is made better with proper tree mulching techniques.

Mulch is any material placed over the soil around trees and plants to maintain moisture and improve soil condition. Mulches can be organic (anything that decomposes, including newspaper) or inorganic (like stones, pulverized rubber, lava rock).

Proper Tree Mulching Benefits Include:

• Reducing moisture loss because it acts as physical barrier to evaporation
• Enriching surrounding soil as it decays
• Protecting roots from extreme summer heat and bitter winter cold
• Reducing weed germination and growth
• Providing a protective barrier that inhibits some plant diseases
• Improving soil structure

Even though organic mulch disappears over time (due to decay), arborists often prefer it because the decay helps fertilize plants and trees. Inorganic mulch is a semi-permanent choice, which can be a benefit thrifty gardeners appreciate.

Trees and their roots love mulch. In an ideal (tree ruled) world, mulch would cover a tree’s entire root system. Since most tree roots extend many feet beyond the drip line (where rain falls off leaves), full tree mulching may not be practical or attractive. Suffice to say, though, you can lay down as wide a circle of mulch around a tree as you want and the tree won’t complain.

Depth of mulch around a tree and plants is a different story. Two to four inches is standard for well-drained locations. If surrounding soil doesn’t drain well, one inch of mulch is probably enough. Too much mulch on top of soil that drains poorly could result in the growth of mold, root rot and plant stress. Gardeners that use organic mulch are tempted to layer on extra mulch depth to avoid the future work involved in replenishing mulch as earlier applications decompose. In the long run, though, the extra work involved in repeated application of organic mulch pays off with much healthier plants.

Tree trunks and plant stems don’t like to be crowded. Mulch shouldn’t be laid any closer than six to 12 inches around a tree trunk and three to six inches around plant stems. This creates a clear water zone for trees and plants, allowing quick delivery of irrigated water and rainfall to roots.

After developing a landscaping plan, choosing just the right plants and trees and then planting, the last thing a gardener wants is another task. But proper tree mulching is an investment that pays big dividends year after year as healthy plants and trees flourish.

If you have questions about tree care, contact SprayTech at 720.248.0000.  We provide tree services including tree spraying, tree fertilizing, tree deep root watering for Front Range communities.