Summer temperatures are soaring high across the Carolinas. Due to high temperatures, it’s the perfect time to make sure your mulch is properly placed! Just as sunblock protects and preserves our skin, mulch works the same way for trees and plants. Mulch cools and protects not only the trunk of the tree but also the root system, if properly placed. If you've ever noticed trees with mounds of mulch around the base, this could be doing more harm than good. We don't want that for your trees! We want your trees happy and healthy and properly mulched. Protect and preserve trees and plants on your property with our top 4 mulching tricks.
- Water trees & plants Before starting your mulching project give your trees and plants a good amount of water. This will help ensure the mulch has enough water to also soak in and help keep your trees and plants cool.
- Spread mulch to a depth of 3- 4 inches When placing mulch it's crucial to get the right amount to spread under trees, shrubs, and throughout planting beds. three to four inches of medium to coarse textured mulch is what we recommend.
- Leave 1 -2 inches of space from the base of tree and shrub trunks. Do not pile it up against the trunk (“volcano mulching”). Excessive mulch on the trunk causes moisture to build up, creating ideal conditions for insect pests, diseases, and decay. All steps are crucial but we feel this one is genius!
- Extend the mulched area around to the trees drip line of the branches, or at least cover a 4-5 foot diameter area around the trunk. The larger the mulched area, the more beneficial. The more mulch that is around the base of the tree protects the tree roots underneath.
