Mulch Volcanoes - The Quiet Killer of Trees
Mulch Volcanoes - The Quiet Killer of Trees
Trees are not meant to be planted like fence posts. At the base of every healthy tree is a root flare - the place where the trunk transitions into roots and meets open air. When that flare is buried under soil or piled high with mulch, the tree slowly suffocates. Moisture stays trapped against the trunk, roots grow upward instead of outward, and decay sets in long before symptoms appear above ground.
Proper planting means finding the flare, keeping it visible, and using mulch sparingly. Best practice is to keep it wide and shallow, never piled high against the trunk. Most tree deaths blamed on "age" or "stress" actually begin right here, at ground level.