Administrator posted on April 26, 2010 07:55
Yes there are thousands of these volcanoes in the garden state, mulch volcanoes that is. They are formed by unaware home owners and landscapers. The mulch is piled up high around the trunks of trees sometimes as deep as 12 inches. These “volcanoes” are very detrimental to the trees. The mulch causes the trunk to rot (crown rot) damaging the cambium layer located just under the bark. The cambium layer is what moves nutrients from the roots to the branches and leaves of a tree. Mice and other varmints will make their winter homes in these mulch volcanoes for warmth and chew on the tree trunks further damaging the tree. This will cause the trees to be stressed, and prematurely die. If you have mulch volcanoes remove the mulch around the tree and inspect the crown for rot or damage. The proper way to mulch a tree is to apply 2-3 inches of mulch around the bed line and tapering the mulch down to almost no mulch at the trunk. Make sure your mulch does not become matted down and act as a shield to water causing it to run off, if this happens break up the mulch with a rake or cultivator.
[Read the rest of this article...]