A tall cone of mulch piled against a tree trunk looks tidy, but it quietly works against the tree underneath.
Mulch held against bark keeps it constantly damp, inviting decay, cankers, and rodents that chew bark over winter. Deep mulch also encourages girdling roots that circle and choke the trunk, a problem we find often on landscape trees in newer Montgomery and Chester County developments. The damage builds slowly, so a tree can look fine for years before thin canopies and early fall color reveal the stress underneath.
The better approach: pull mulch back so the root flare, where the trunk widens at the base, is visible. Keep the layer two to three inches deep and spread it wide toward the drip line, shaped like a donut rather than a volcano.
Fall is a good time to correct it, before freeze and thaw cycles begin. On trees that have had mulch piled high for years, an arborist root collar inspection shows whether girdling roots have already formed.
#TreeHealth #MulchTips #ChesterCounty #PennsylvaniaTrees
A side-by-side of a mulch volcano versus a properly mulched tree with a visible root flare. Real photos from Tri-County yards are preferred over stock.
Canva text suggestion: "Mulch Like a Donut, Not a Volcano" or "Let Your Tree's Root Flare Breathe"