{"id":22010,"date":"2023-05-03T10:03:28","date_gmt":"2023-05-03T14:03:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/?p=22010"},"modified":"2026-04-01T10:47:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T14:47:07","slug":"re-mulch-your-trees-landscape-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/re-mulch-your-trees-landscape-report\/","title":{"rendered":"Re-mulch Your Trees – Landscape Report"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Image<\/a>

Figure 1: Volcano mulching around the base of the tree. Photo credit Lindsey Purcell.<\/p><\/div>\n

Purdue Landscape Report<\/a>: It\u2019s that wonderful time of year again where temps are rising, life is coming back into the landscape, and people are thinking about how to improve the urban canopy around them.\u00a0 Well, maybe not that specifically, but we have the urge to plant trees.\u00a0 Whether it\u2019s for Earth Day or Arbor Day or you just enjoy the act of planting, one of the hot topics is getting trees into the ground.\u00a0 That\u2019s not what I\u2019m here to talk about today, though.<\/p>\n

As much as I love assisting communities with their greening efforts, getting the right tree in the right place, planting is not the only way to help grow the canopy around you.\u00a0 One of the topics that can be neglected is maintaining trees from previous plantings.\u00a0 Often, trees get placed in the ground, they are mulched, watered, and staked, then left on their own to make it in the world.\u00a0 New trees can take about 2-5 years to become established in their new homes and they could require assistance from us for much longer to thrive.\u00a0 Luckily, there is a simple activity to do assist trees, young and old.<\/p>\n

Just like when they were placed in the ground, trees still benefit from mulch.\u00a0 Reapplying mulch benefits trees in multiple ways.\u00a0 It\u2019s a natural way to prevent weeds and grass competing in the root zone and adds a protective buffer against mechanical damage from mowers and weed eaters.\u00a0 It will also help to maintain moisture levels in the soil as we transition into the hotter summer months. \u00a0When applying new mulch, don\u2019t worry about removing the old layer.\u00a0 It\u2019s working its way into the soil around the tree adding organic matter, improving the quality of the soil.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Image<\/a>

Figure 2: Correct application of mulch. Photo Credit John Bonkowski.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Add enough mulch so there is a 2\u20133-inch layer sloping away from the tree with at least a 3\u20135-foot radius around the stem (older, larger trees can benefit from larger mulch rings).\u00a0 No volcano mulching (Figure 1), make sure you also have around a 1-2-inch gap between the stem and the start of the mulch ring (Figure 2) to prevent unwanted root growth above ground and rot from excess moisture on the stem.\u00a0\u00a0 Continuing this practice every year can help maintain soil moisture levels, while enriching the soil around your tree, maintaining a safety zone, and adding a nice aesthetic.<\/p>\n

To view this article and other Purdue Landscape Report articles, please visit Purdue Landscape Report<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Subscribe and receive the newsletter: Purdue Landscape Report Newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Resources:
\n<\/strong>The Purdue Landscape Report<\/a>
\nPurdue Landscape Report Facebook Page<\/a>
\nFind an Arborist<\/a>\u00a0website, Trees are Good, International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)
\nTree Installation: Process and Practices<\/a>, The Education Store
\nPlanting Forest Trees and Shrubs in Indiana<\/a>, The Education Store
\nPlanting Your Tree Part 1: Choosing Your Tree, Video<\/a>, Purdue Extension \u2013 Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel
\nTree Defect Identification<\/a>, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
\nTree wounds and healing<\/a>, Got Nature? Blog
\nTree Pruning Essentials, Publication<\/a>\u00a0&\u00a0Video<\/a>, The Education Store
\nShrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest<\/a>, The Education Store
\nTree Risk Management<\/a>, The Education Store
\nWhy Is My Tree Dying?<\/a>, The Education Store
\nID That Tree<\/a>, Purdue Extension-Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube playlist
\nSubscribe to Purdue Extension-FNR YouTube Channel<\/a><\/p>\n

Ben McCallister<\/a>, Urban Forestry Specialist
\nPurdue Forestry and Natural Resources<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Purdue Landscape Report: It\u2019s that wonderful time of year again where temps are rising, life is coming back into the landscape, and people are thinking about how to improve the urban canopy around them.\u00a0 Well, maybe not that specifically, but we have the urge to plant trees.\u00a0 Whether it\u2019s for Earth Day or Arbor Day […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[42,80,45,49,53,622],"tags":[67,895,1760,408,71],"class_list":["post-22010","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-forestry","category-trees","category-howto","category-plants","category-urbanforestry","category-woodlands","tag-plants","tag-purdue-landscape-report","tag-re-mulch-trees","tag-trees","tag-urban-forestry","audience-for-enthusiasts","audience-for-homeowners","audience-for-landowners","audience-for-professionals"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-17 02:47:42","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22010","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/57"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22010"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22010\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39083,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22010\/revisions\/39083"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22010"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22010"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22010"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}