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The wider the mulch ring the better. We suggest ’ or greater from the trunk of the tree. The farther out you can spread the mulch ring the better for the tree because the less the roots have to compete with grass for water and nutrients. Roots stretch wider than the canopy, so give them room to breathe! It’s especially helpful to have a large mulch ring around young trees.

The growing roots will thank you! Make sure you leave the root flare (base of the tree). Sep 02, Benefits of Mulching Around Trees Trees, especially young ones, typically benefit most from a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch around their base.

However, for the first 12 inches immediately surrounding the trunk, thin the mulch layer so that it just covers the soil.

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This will prevent the common problems associated with excessive mulching. Jun 06, Adding a Proper Mulch Bed 1. Purchase a medium-textured mulch. Fine textured mulch gets compacted and can starve your tree's roots of oxygen. 2. Spread mulch in a 4–5 feet (– m) diameter around the tree. Lay down a thin layer of mulch around the tree. 3.

Continue laying down mulch 98%(62). Sep 25, It does not take piles to accomplish the benefits of mulch. A properly mulched tree should appear to have just a slightly raised ring around the tree. Over time the mulch will blow up next to the trunk and breakdown. This means that as part of normal maintenance the mulch ring should be replenished yearly. Start by carefully pulling the mulch back from the trunk, and then add enough new mulch to the 4 inch depth.

Types of mulch. In the Midwest, most of a tree’s fine roots are in the upper 12 to 18 inches of soil. Applying mulch under trees and shrubs eliminates competition from other plants for water and nutrients.

Turf roots are especially aggressive and pose the largest threat of competition to trees and shrubs.