There is such thing as too much of a good thing when it comes to mulching your trees. Many people think they know how to use mulch, but in reality, their yard beautification project kills their trees over time.

Don’t make these same mistakes. Instead, follow these tips to learn how to choose the right mulch and make sure you’re never using too much mulch.

How to Choose the Right Mulch

The first thing you need to do when it comes to tree care is making sure you choose the right mulch. Mulch comes in all forms, such as wood chips, stones, or even rocks. 

When it comes to putting mulch around your tree, your best bet is to stick with woodchips and choose a color that compliments your home.

Don’t Mulch Volcano

Stop! Before you put your mulch down, make sure you don’t volcano it.

Proper tree care starts at the roots. That’s why you shouldn’t pile as much mulch as possible at the base of your tree that makes it look like a volcano and your tree coming out of it. To truly improve your tree health, you should be able to see the base of the tree.

When you can clearly see the base of the trees, you know it will be able to breathe appropriately and continue to grow and thrive.

How to Tell if I Have Too Much Mulch?

There are signs your tree will give you if you’ve over-mulched it, such as:

• The leaves look smaller

• You notice more dead branches

• Leaves drop earlier than before

• The bark is soft at the base

If you recognize any of these signs with your tree, you need to take action.

Too Much Mulch? Here’s What to Do

If you have too much mulch, you need to remove it as soon as possible. Start by digging out all of the old mulch and putting it to the side. You can reuse it, but you first need to re-expose your tree base.

Once the old mulch is removed, locate your tree base. Take about 3 feet from that on all sides and gently replace the mulch. It should be flat here, and you should still see the tree base.

The next step is to use the rest of your mulch away from the tree. If you look at the ground flat, you should see exactly where the tree base is, and you can layer the mulch thicker on the outside rim.

Improve Your Tree Health Today

Now that you know how to tell if you have too much mulch, it’s time to fix your trees as soon as possible. The sooner you get rid of your excess mulch, the happier your trees are going to be.

We are certified arborists and have been helping people like you maintain their tree health for years. 

If you need help maintaining your beautiful trees, contact us today.