how do u?

[mikey]

hi
sorry for all the questions but im getting more calls..
when laying mulch around a tree.i see all these trees that the mulch is all the way rounded ,around the tree about 5' high r they putting lume down first then th emulch?in othe rwords its
nice and high and nicely rounded all the way around is that what they're doin?also is there any special thingd i should do when i lay mulch aside from cleaning and removing weeds?

[mdb landscaping]

its not good for the tree at all to mound it up around the trunk. it traps moisture around the bark and induces disease and rot. if you do put it in a mound around the tree, make like a little berm or pond to hold the water in, and that way you still get the look of a nice rounded mound, but really it acts as a water trap for the tree.

[creative concepts]

The other problem that will arise is root girdling(sp?) from the mulch being that high around the trunk. What will happen is the feeder roots of the tree will grow closer to the surface to access the water that is trapped in the mulch and eventually strangle the tree. We have had to remove mulch from a few commercial prooperties where the prior company mounded the mulch up around the trunk and every tree was beginning to show signs of root girdling. If the mulch is installed properly, you will still acheive the "mounded" look without the girdling problem. Hope this helps

[Russo]

BIG TIME DITTO. The rule of thumb is " create doughnuts-not vocanoes"

In addition to root girdling and diseases, mulch against the trunk creates a perfect environment for insects to set up shop.