Over-Mulching: Why you shouldn’t do it.

Mulching is an important part of taking care of your trees, but it’s easy to go overboard. If you’re not careful, over-mulching can do more harm than good to your trees.

Negative Effects of Over-Mulching:

• At AC Plant and Turf, we believe less is more when it comes to mulching your trees and plants. Things to consider when it comes to over-mulching:
  • Excessive mulch reduces soil oxygen for roots, suffocating them.
  • Roots in search of oxygen and water sometimes grow into excess mulch. During dry periods the mulch dries out and the roots in the mulch die.
  • Mulch piled against the trunks of trees and shrubs keeps the bark moist underneath the mulch causing decay and a possible entry point for disease and insects.
  • Pull back the mulch about 3 inches so it doesn’t touch the bark.
  • Too much mulch may delay the onset of dormancy in the fall by keeping root zone temperatures warm. In contrast, excessive mulch may prevent the breaking of dormancy in the spring due to cooler root zone temperatures.

Mulching is critical to health and vitality of your trees, but you need to be aware of the amount of mulch you use and make sure you’re mulching correctly.