Why Mulching is Important for Trees

The best friend of a newly planted tree is mulch! When planting your tree with The Living Urn’s biotree urn, or any tree for that matter, it is very important to add mulch as a final step.

Why is Mulch So Important for Your Tree?

• Mulch provides insulation to soil creating a buffer from hot and cold temperatures
• Mulch keeps moisture in the soil, which keeps the roots moist and healthy
• The presence of mulch prevents weeds from growing and therefore prevents competition for the tree roots
• Mulch keeps the soil from compacting

Here is the Best Way to Add Mulch Around Your Tree

• Remove all grass around the tree within a 3 to 5 foot circle area.
• Generously lay out the natural mulch such as bark or wood chips covering the entire circle area. When finished, the mulch should be 2 to 4 inches deep.
• Leave a little bit of space empty next to the tree trunk – you do not want the mulch touching the newly planted tree trunk

Organic vs. Inorganic Mulch – Which One is Best?

Mulch naturally occurs within any forest as leaves, twigs, fruits, and bark all fall to the forest floor and serve as mulch. In today’s gardening industry, companies attempt to replicate the natural mulch found in forests and mulch products can be found in both, organic and inorganic forms. Organic mulch includes wood chips, straw, bark chips, and grass clippings. Inorganic mulch includes rocks, stones, plastic and pieces of brick.

Most arborists recommend the organic forms for the following reasons:

Decomposition:  Natural, organic mulch can decompose into humus, which also benefits tree growth and health

Water Retention: Organic mulch helps trees retain water in their roots, which is especially important during hot, dry summers

Effective Weed Reduction: Organic mulch has been proven to reduce the amount and frequency of weeds

Appearance:  Most people prefer organic mulch as it appears to be more “natural”

Cost: Most organic forms of mulch are affordable and can be found from local suppliers

The disadvantages of organic mulch is that some, or all, of it could eventually blow away and, at times, hold too much moisture around the roots.  Other considerations of organic vs. inorganic mulch includes the slope where the tree is being planted, local availability of each type, cost, and duration of use.

In addition to proper mulching, watering your tree planted with The Living Urn Bio Urn the proper way is also very important – click here to learn more.