One question that pops up this time of year a lot is what's the proper mulch to use for trees. It's easy to grasp the fundamental idea of mulch, but when people go to their nearby nursery they see numerous different types. How do you know which one to use? The short answer: wood chips.
The very best mulch to make use of for trees is something that's going to decompose gradually. Mulch made from wood chips fits the bill perfectly, since it rots slowly, and as an added bonus, this mulch is quite low in nutrients so won't promote weed growth. Composted wood chips are the preferred material; these can be utilized as durable, low-maintenance mulch, which weathers to a silver-gray color.
The poor news is that most wood chip mulch is sold as fresh material, not in a composted or aged state. These chips also decompose gradually, but as they do decompose, microorganisms develop in the mulch and use nutrients from the soil that may otherwise be available for plant growth. Composted material will not help these microorganisms, which is why it is the preferred material. One answer to this problem is to buy un-composted wood chips in advance and compost them yourself. Put them in a backyard composter along with some leaves, twigs and bark. Make certain to keep it well oxygenated and turned to prevent bad smelling mulch.
Go Organic
Organic mulches are beneficial also for their soil-enhancing characteristics, as opposed to inorganic mulch materials like crushed rock, gravel, tarps, and landscape fabrics. As organic mulches decompose over time, they gradually discharge small quantities of nutrients and to the soil. Consequently your layer of mulch should be renewed as required to maintain a 2- to 4-inch depth.
For individual trees, your mulched region should cover from 3 to 6 feet out from the tree's base. It is best to clear the mulch away 1 to 2 inches from the base of plants to help stop damage to the tree trunk from insects, excess moisture, and diseases. In fact, this is the classic mistake that many individuals make with mulching trees.
You shouldn't have a pile of wood chips around your tree that looks like the thing Richard Dreyfuss created in his kitchen in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Rather, it ought to look more like a flattened donut. This also holds true for mulching shrubs, mind you.
Follow these easy suggestions and your tree should do well and require less watering and fertilizer than an unmulched tree.
The very best mulch to make use of for trees is something that's going to decompose gradually. Mulch made from wood chips fits the bill perfectly, since it rots slowly, and as an added bonus, this mulch is quite low in nutrients so won't promote weed growth. Composted wood chips are the preferred material; these can be utilized as durable, low-maintenance mulch, which weathers to a silver-gray color.
The poor news is that most wood chip mulch is sold as fresh material, not in a composted or aged state. These chips also decompose gradually, but as they do decompose, microorganisms develop in the mulch and use nutrients from the soil that may otherwise be available for plant growth. Composted material will not help these microorganisms, which is why it is the preferred material. One answer to this problem is to buy un-composted wood chips in advance and compost them yourself. Put them in a backyard composter along with some leaves, twigs and bark. Make certain to keep it well oxygenated and turned to prevent bad smelling mulch.
Go Organic
Organic mulches are beneficial also for their soil-enhancing characteristics, as opposed to inorganic mulch materials like crushed rock, gravel, tarps, and landscape fabrics. As organic mulches decompose over time, they gradually discharge small quantities of nutrients and to the soil. Consequently your layer of mulch should be renewed as required to maintain a 2- to 4-inch depth.
For individual trees, your mulched region should cover from 3 to 6 feet out from the tree's base. It is best to clear the mulch away 1 to 2 inches from the base of plants to help stop damage to the tree trunk from insects, excess moisture, and diseases. In fact, this is the classic mistake that many individuals make with mulching trees.
You shouldn't have a pile of wood chips around your tree that looks like the thing Richard Dreyfuss created in his kitchen in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Rather, it ought to look more like a flattened donut. This also holds true for mulching shrubs, mind you.
Follow these easy suggestions and your tree should do well and require less watering and fertilizer than an unmulched tree.
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