Donuts. Not the kind that leave colorful sprinkles all over your desk. Not even the kind that Homer Simpson loves so much. But mulch donuts.
Too mulch love
Over-mulching ranks right up there for the top reason newly planted trees die. That’s why mulch donuts are the way to go. According to Arborist and forester Brian Colter, a protective layer of mulch around the base of your tree is a good thing but, he says, more mulch isn’t necessarily better. Never “volcano” the mulch right up to the trunk were the chips press against it because after a period of time the tree will rot and die. Not only that, mice and insects may hide in there and feed on parts of the tree.
This is where the donuts come in. Form the mulch into the shape of a donut by keeping it away from the trunk and the rootball of the tree. Not only is mulching good for the soil and root growth, but it also helps keep lawn mowers and weed-whackers from damaging the bark of a tree. Open wounds are a bad thing. Truth be told, that’s the No. 1 reason newbie trees perish.
Donuts. Maybe not the kind with colorful sprinkles on top, but trees like them too. And most probably better for them than for us.
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