Hard truck 2 texture through trees1/19/2023 ![]() ![]() Many times you can find recommendations to place landscape fabric as an underlayment beneath mulch. Shredded fall leaves are also a favorite of mine, and I used these extensively at my former home. Shredded wood mulch is not a bad option, and I use these when I can’t get my hands on arborist woodchips. These are often readily available in Illinois. Plus, don’t we already have enough plastic out in the world?Īrborist woodchips are a recommended type of mulch as these tend to be coarse and don’t pack down like some shredded wood mulches. Plastic under mulch restricts air and water to the tree roots below. ![]() Which is another practice Extension does not recommend. Some will place plastic underneath to prevent this. Even if the rock doesn’t decompose like wood mulch, it still settles into the soil and can become a nightmare if you ever need to remove the stuff. It can even create conditions that make the area less hospitable to the tree. But from a horticultural standpoint, rock mulch adds nothing to the health of the plant. Sounds simple, from a designer’s point of view. People like the look, it doesn’t decompose, and you can just hit any weeds with some weed killer. But how and what we mulch with can lead to a healthy tree or an ailing tree.Īs a landscaper, I put tons (literally) of decorative gravel around trees as mulch. It keeps the mowers and string trimmers away, reduces competition from turfgrass, and creates a defined space around the tree that has an aesthetic appeal. I would argue large ones benefit from mulch too. It is recommended to mulch young shade trees. Not bad for the average length of time Americans own a home, but not great considering the oak’s potential lifespan. Instead of a 200-year-old oak, maybe it will last 10 to 20 years. A tree planted too deep will have a shortened life span as the root flare and any portion of the buried trunk slowly succumb to rot. Few things kill a tree instantly besides a chainsaw. Planting a tree too deep does not equal immediate death. That’s when you identify that first structural root as your guide. Some species (notably evergreens) may not have a clear root flare as young trees. Often you will need to gently excavate the top few inches of soil in the pot until you identify a distinct flare or the first structural root. Please know, most trees are already planted too deep in their container at the time of purchase. If it looks like a telephone pole sticking out of the ground, the tree is planted too deep. The important thing to note for trees is that roots are adapted to being buried in the soil, but the root flare and trunk must be above the soil line. More than likely you will see the trunk flare out at the base. ![]() If you walk in the forest or a park with older established trees, look at the base of the trunk. Why is this section of the tree so important? Because this is where I tend to find the majority of the problems in large shade trees. There is one thing I always request of a client before proceeding with any type of diagnosis of the ailing tree: A photo of the base of the trunk as it emerges from the ground. After all, that’s what we tend to notice first as our eyes occasionally gaze upward to the living behemoths that shade our parks, yards, and homes. Most of the time the first photo sent to me is a declining canopy. ![]()
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