The 'too much mulch' comment from my landscaper saved my garden beds

I used to pile mulch up against the tree trunks real thick, thought it looked nice. My landscaper told me I was basically suffocating the roots and inviting rot, so now I keep it at 2 inches max and pull it back from the trunks. Anyone else get told this and make the switch too?

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shanes6613d ago

I read this thing the other week from a university extension service about how mulch volcanoes are like a slow death sentence for trees. They said the roots actually grow up into the mulch looking for air and water, then when the mulch breaks down they end up above the soil line and get all dried out. Plus the constant moisture against the bark is a magnet for bugs and fungus. I made the same switch last year after my arborist basically yelled at me about it. Now I keep it thin and leave a donut hole around the trunk like they say, and the trees look way happier come spring.