Piling mulch up against a trunk in a tall cone shape looks tidy, but it's one of the most common mistakes we see on South Jersey properties. That mound keeps bark constantly damp, which invites rot and gives insects an easy way into the trunk.
It also buries the root flare, the point where the trunk widens out at ground level, which the tree needs exposed to breathe and to signal roots to grow outward instead of circling back toward the trunk.
The fix is simple: mulch should sit two to three inches deep in a flat ring, pulled back a few inches from the bark so the trunk and root flare stay visible and dry.
Does the mulch around your trees look more like a volcano than a flat ring right now?
#TreeCare
Photo comparing a volcano-mulched tree trunk to a properly mulched flat ring, or a close-up of a buried root flare. Authentic job photos preferred over stock imagery.
Canva text suggestion: "Stop Volcano Mulching Your Trees" or "Keep the Root Flare Visible"