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Mulching Tips, Dos, and Don’ts
By Kyle Thurman, Environmental Enhancements, Inc.
Pruning, edging, planting, weeding, and mulching are all essential for the health and beauty of you garden and lawn, but done incorrectly, can damage them. In particular, over mulching is dangerous to the health of your trees.
Too much mulch, laid down too thickly will invite insects, disease, fungi, and even small rodents. Too much mulch over too long a period of time can kill the tree. Roots need oxygen. Over mulching can trap too much moisture causing cankers, splits, invite disease and pests, and cause root rot. On the flip, hard clumped mulch can actually prevent air and water from getting through, which proper use of mulch should allow.
MULCHING DOs
Initial mulching should be 3 – 4” deep for shrubs and trees; 1 – 2” for perennials.- The depth of organic mulch should not exceed three inches after settling
- Keep mulch at least 6" from the base of a trunk
- Apply herbicide or weed control to area before mulching over them.
- Subsequent mulching should be done only an inch or two at a time.
- Before mulching a second time rake the existing mulch to break it up so water will penetrate.
- DO NOT mulch up against tree trunks. Photo courtesy of
MULCHING DONTs
Do not create a mulch ‘volcano’- Too much mulch traps moisture causing cankers, splits, disease, pests, and root rot
- Clumped mulch prevents air and water penetration
- More than 4 inches is too much
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