How to Properly Mulch Around Trees – Early Spring Gardening Chore

Your early spring yard work “to do list” MUST include Mulch Mulch Mulch! Mulching helps retain the moisture and keeps the weeds down.
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Here are our mulching tips:
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Cardboard is your friend! Use sheet-mulching with cardboard and weigh it down with Dark Harbor Blend aged bark mulch.
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Around Trees: Avoid the “Mulch Volcano!” Excessive mulch will cause rot in the trunk, harbor insects that will attack the tree, and force the tree to develop a secondary root system, making it susceptible to toppling over in heavy winds.
Tip: Mulch OUT, not UP! Make a donut shape around the trunk, keeping it clear. Spread the mulch in a layer approximately 3-4 inches deep, and out to the anticipated “drip line” of the tree limbs.

Tip: Use “Bark Mulch” NOT “Wood Mulch.” Quality mulch is made from bark, not wood. Poor quality mulch is made from pallets, construction debris and ground up (green, not aged) wood chips. This wood mulch can attract termites, foster the growth of Artillery Fungus, and harm plantings if it’s not aged long enough. Bark mulch has been properly aged. It will naturally decompose over time and provide valuable nutrients back into the soil and plant roots.

Product shown: Coast of Maine Dark Harbor Blend, Enriching Mulch -Available at your local garden center/independent retailer.