Utah Arborist Advice for Mulching Trees

Ask any certified Utah arborist — mulching is an essential tree care service.

Mulching trees boosts the visual appeal of your property. But more importantly, mulch protects trees from hot and cold temperatures, reduces moisture loss in soil and helps keep weeds in check.

Utah Arborist Advice for Mulching Trees

However, to provide these benefits and avoid potential problems, mulch must be applied correctly. Following tips from our certified arborists will help you get the job done right.

Prepare the Base of the Tree

When mulching trees, aim to surround them with a circle measuring up to 8 feet in diameter. You don’t always need to cover that large of an area, but certified arborists recommend that you extend the mulch at least out to the edge of the drip line, or the edge of the tree canopy.

Prepare your circle by removing the grass, along with any debris, sticks and weeds in the area. Rake the ground to make it as even as possible before mulching.

Add the Right Amount of Mulch

Next, use your rake to spread the mulch around evenly within your prepared circle.

How much mulch do our certified arborists recommend?

A 2-to-4-inch layer is usually best for mulching Utah trees. Any more than that, and you could block oxygen from getting to the tree roots or cause excess moisture to build up in the root zone — either of which can stress the trees and threaten their future health.

Keep Mulch Away from the Tree Trunk

When mulching trees, creating hills or volcanoes of mulch is an arborist no-no.

Don’t pile mulch up against a tree trunk, or you may end up with root rot. Instead, after applying an even layer, an arborist uses a rake to pull the mulch away from the trunk and root flare in a donut shape.

What Makes for a Good Tree Mulch?

Which type of mulch do our certified Utah arborists recommend? Organic mulches are generally considered best, as the material slowly decomposes and releases nutrients into the soil.

However, our arborists take other factors into consideration when choosing a mulch. Texture is one — a medium-textured material is preferred, as fine and course mulches don’t retain the right amount of soil moisture. Price and availability are also important to an arborist.

And for mulching trees, aesthetics matters. A beautiful mulch can boost the look of your landscape.

Would you like some expert help protecting the trees surrounding your home? The certified arborist team at Reliable Tree Care provides mulching, pruning, trimming and other professional tree care services to keep Utah trees growing healthy and strong.

To schedule a free comprehensive yard evaluation with a Reliable Tree Care certified arborist, or for answers to your questions about mulching trees, contact our Murray office today.