If you have put in the time and effort to plant a new tree in your yard, you want to give it the best chance to grow and thrive, right? If so, then you will have to take certain steps to ensure its health and well-being. One of these steps involves adding mulch around the tree.
There are some people who skip this step; however, it is extremely important if you want to keep your tree healthy, happy and help to encourage growth.
Why is Mulch for Trees so Important?
Planting a new tree can be a lot of work. The last thing you want is to have to do more once you get it in the ground. However, skipping this step can be detrimental to your trees health and wind up causing serious problems. Some of the reasons mulch is so important to newly planted trees include:
- Mulch will help to insulate the soil. This creates a bugger between the roots of your tree and extreme heat or cold.
- Mulch will help to retain water and help ensure the roots remain moist, which ensures the tree will stay well-hydrated.
- Mulch can help to keep weeds out and to prevent issues with root competition.
- Mulch will prevent the compaction of the soil around your newly planted tree.
- The mulch will reduce the potential of damage to the tree’s roots by your lawn mower.
How to Add Mulch Around Your Trees
Now that you know why adding mulch around your trees is so important, you may wonder how to do it. You can’t just throw down the mulch and call it a day. You have to use the steps here to ensure the much has the effect you want it to. This will ensure all of the benefits listed above are seen.
Step 1: Add the mulch to the base of the tree.
- To do this, you will need to remove any grass that is within a three to 10 foot area, depending on how big the tree is.
Step 2: Layer the mulch.
- Once the grass has been removed, you will pour the natural mulch (such as bark pieces or wood chips) in a circle around the tree about two to four inches deep.
Step 3: Don’t let the mulch touch the trunk.
- Make sure that none of the mulch actually comes in contact with the trunk of the tree.
Once you have the mulch in place according to the instructions above, your tree will be set. Keep in mind, you will still have to water it properly if you want to make sure it grows and thrives. If you are unsure of what to do or have more questions about your newly planted tree, you can contact the professionals. They will be able to help you further understand how to care for your trees.
