Fall is when a lot of Frederick homeowners freshen up their beds, and it's also when we see a common mistake: mulch heaped high around the trunk like a volcano. It looks neat, but it can do real damage over time.
Tree bark is meant to stay dry. When mulch sits against the trunk, it holds moisture there, softening the bark and inviting rot, fungal disease, and gnawing from voles and mice that nest in the pile over winter. Deep mulch can also encourage roots to grow up into it and circle the trunk, where they can eventually girdle the tree.
The fix is simple. Pull mulch back so you can see the root flare, the spot where the trunk widens as it meets the ground. Keep mulch two to four inches deep, spread it in a wide ring like a donut rather than a volcano, and leave a few inches of bare space around the trunk.
Next time you walk the yard, take a look: can you see where your trees flare out at the base, or is it buried?
#TreeCare #FrederickMD
A real side-by-side of a mulch volcano piled against a trunk next to a properly mulched tree with a visible root flare. A local yard photo works best; a simple Canva graphic showing volcano vs. donut is a good fallback. Authentic photos of real Watts Tree Experts crews and job sites are strongly preferred over stock images.
Canva text suggestion: "Mulch Donuts, Not Mulch Volcanoes" or "Keep the Root Flare Visible"