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Mulch Volcanoes: Too Much Of A Good Thing

Resources: Tree Maintenance

Mulch VolcanoesRecently we came across a Facebook photo about mulching. It says what we have tried to inform people for years. Properly applied mulch provides a lot of benefits to your tree; however, if you use too much mulch you are doing damage to your tree. In this video and article, you’ll learn why over mulching is detrimental, how to properly mulch, and get to see how our Arborists fix these issues using Root Collar Excavations.

Properly applied mulch should be 2-4 inches deep and extend out to the edge of the tree’s crown or beyond.

proper mulching

Benefits Of Properly Applied Mulch:

  • Insulates the soil helping to provide a buffer from heat and cold temperatures.
  • Retains water helping to keep the roots moist
  • Keeps out weeds to help prevent root competition
  • Prevents soil compaction
  • Reduces lawn mower damage.

When too much mulch is built up around the trunk of the tree you get what Arborists call a mulch volcano.

Effects Of Mulch Volcanoes:

  • An increased susceptibility to insects & diseases caused by mulch irritation on the trunk of the tree.
  • Girdling Root Systems – a condition where smaller roots wrap around a dominate root choking it and not allowing the tree to absorb nutrients.
  • Rodent issues – mulch piled high against the trunks of trees create habitats for rodents that chew the tree’s bark.
  • And Root Rot from excess moisture

Recently we performed work on a client’s trees that were suffering from mulch volcanoes and improper mulching (See Photo Below).

1) First, we performed a Root Collar Excavation using pressurized air to expose the roots for inspection without hurting the tree.

2) Once the root system was visible it was obvious that the excess mulch had caused roots to grow from the main trunk and around dominate roots. This is problematic and could lead to numerous health problems and even the death of the tree in the future. We also noticed discoloration on the trunk from mulch irritation and excess moisture.

3) To fix the problem and keep health issues from occurring we hand pruned the roots. By removing the problematic roots we returned the root structure to a healthy state which will allow the root system to grow properly and thrive in the future.

4) Lastly, we properly re-mulched the tree.  You can see by the dirt lines on the trunk how high the mulch used to be. Notice that our proper mulching is much lower and does not pile up against the trunk of the tree.

If your trees have mulch volcanoes they most likely are starting to develop root issues, like the ones in this article & video. We suggest haveing a root collar excavation and root pruning performed on your tree to identify and fix your trees’ root issues before the effects become irreversible.BEFORE (2)

Learn more about mulching around trees

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Google Reviews

Grey Burkhart
Grey Burkhart
March 29, 2022.
Verified
Very professional review of our requirements and an accurate estimate. Showed up on time and were finished quickly. Cleaned up all of the debris and sawdust. Great job all around.
Dennis Bruns
Dennis Bruns
March 8, 2022.
Verified
We have used RTEC Treecare for several years. They do excellent work. Their staff is extremely knowledgeable and take great care in explaining the various options available for your particular situation. I highly recommend them.
Annette Iannucci
Annette Iannucci
February 23, 2022.
Verified
We have been using RTEC for years and were very pleased with the recent tree maintenance work they did for us. As always, we got good advice from their arborist Ben,. The crew that did the work is highly skilled, and they did a great job trimming our trees. They worked safely and efficiently, in addition to leaving the yard clean after they finished the work.
Susan Crawford
Susan Crawford
January 26, 2022.
Verified
RTEC was at my house today to removed a large Magnolia that was badly damaged by the recent snow. They did a fantastic job at a very reasonable price. They arrived right on time, worked efficiently and quickly and cleaned up so well it was hard to tell anything have been disturbed. Over the past several years, I have used RTEC for all the services I checked above, and have always been very pleased with their service and professionalism. I also appreciate that they are not eager to take down trees that don't need to come down. In this case, the damage was too extensive for the tree to recover.
Kenton Morgan
Kenton Morgan
January 20, 2022.
Verified
Once again, RTEC has done a great job. The team showed up right on time and performed all the work that we agreed to. They kept us informed as to progress, coordinated with us concerning our maple, and made recommendations concerning ongoing support for our trees. At the end of the day, they thoroughly cleaned up the debris and left our yard in pristine condition. WELL DONE.
Jean Kluttz
Jean Kluttz
January 3, 2022.
Verified
Not our first time but this time was tricky removal of a large dead tree leaning on a healthy tree. Quick response for estimate, good timing to removal, all clear and healthy tree still fine.
Jerry Haggin
Jerry Haggin
December 16, 2021.
Verified
Very good work while ensuring that I was aware of status of my work order and planned completion.
Mike Iger
Mike Iger
December 16, 2021.
Verified
David Roberts
David Roberts
December 15, 2021.
Verified
We’ve used RTEC for many years for tree maintenance and can’t say enough good things about their service. We use them for tree trimming and for regular treatments to maintain our trees’ health and deal with pests and prevent disease. Their arborist Ben has been especially helpful with advice. RTEC also been especially helpful in emergency situations, once coming to cable a massive, heritage oak in our yard right before a hurricane was about to hit. Highly recommend.
Travis Larson
Travis Larson
December 10, 2021.
Verified
RTEC did an excellent job onsite of removing dead branches from our 80+ year old trees, and trimming other growth too close to our home.
Google rating score: 4.8 of 5, based on 185 reviews.

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