What NOT To Do To Your TREES -- Tree Care 101: Lesson in Mulching

Mulch.  What a great word.  Say it:  Mulch.

Basically, mulch is tree parts. I know a lot of people go to Lowe's and buy the stuff by the bag, but honestly, anything that falls off a trees (twigs, leaves, pine straw, pieces of bark) makes great mulch.

Mulch is good stuff.  Trees love it.  I love it.  The world -- obviously-- loves it, by the way they seem to pile it on.  

But there is a right and wrong way to go about mulching your trees. 

Here is the DON'T.

See how this mulch is piled up AGAINST THE TRUNK -- this is BAD.  The trunk is buried!!!

Here's where I dug it out -- you can see the trunk is ROTTING!

Here is the tree again, a little further out -- big pile of mulch AGAINST THE TRUNK = BAD

Now this tree is quite glorious, don't you agree?  So, why, why, why would someone put it at risk?

Because when you weaken the structure of the trunk, you put the tree at risk of dying, or worse, having a weak trunk, and then it could fall and really hurt something or someone!

Let's save our trees, please!

Here's what mulch is good for:
1.  Replenishing nutrients in the soil
2.  Keeping the soil moist
3.  Preventing soil erosion
(Those are the ultra-uber-basics, the Ground Guys have written it out, shortly and sweetly here)

Because mulch is so good at keeping moisture in, it's exactly why it should NOT go up against a trunk. The trunk does not need the extra moisture!

Think of it like this:
Mulch, mulch is good for the DIRT
When it touches a tree, it will HURT.

(I just made that up -- I'll try to work on it for you.)

The proper way to put mulch around a tree is to do just that:  put mulch AROUND a tree.  A half-foot to a foot away from the trunk should suffice, and it will still ensure that the soil is getting what it needs...so that the tree gets what it needs.

THANKS!

P.S.  If feeling altruistic one day, go help the improperly-mulched trees in your urban environment by pushing the soil a foot or so back from the trunk -- make a day out of it, and see how good you'll feel!  It's as important to CARE for a tree as it is to PLANT one.

It's Crape Myrtle, Not Crape Murder!

What's wrong with these pictures?

Unfortunately, we see a lot of this around the South this time of year.

These are Crape Myrtles.  They are typically beautiful trees with smooth trunks and blossoms that occur in the mid to late-summer, with colors ranging from white to lavender, red to pink.  They are such a refreshing sight in the heat of the year, and I have an affinity for them.

So it absolutely makes me cringe to see them in this shape!

I heard someone refer to it as "crape murder."  And from what I've learned from this type of "pruning," they are spot on!

Arborists and tree specialists refer this kind of cutting as TOPPING.  Topping is, for the most part, very bad for your tree.  So why are so many people doing it?  Why is it so accepted around the region?

I still haven't fully figured it out, but my best guess is because they want to control the shape of their tree.  For example, in the photo above, the crape myrtle was planted beneath a power line.  Duh.  Next time, choose a better spot for your tree.  Planting the right tree in the right place is the first step in ensuring your tree has a long, healthy life!

Another reason I believe people top their trees, is because, in a few months, the topping will become barely noticeable.  Instead, there will be several sprouts coming out of the branches where the cuts occur, giving the tree a full look again.  The tree does this because it's in emergency mode, so in reality, those extra branches aren't really so pretty after all.    Here's an example of a topped tree where the branches have grown in:

Notice the "knobs" where the tree sprouted out new branches due to stress

Therefore, an amateur will say something like, "But it grows back."  Yes, but at what cost?

A good rule of thumb is to not prune more than 25% of the crown (branches) of the tree at one time.  When you top, you prune 100% of the tree's crown!  Not only does it look hideous and choked for those few months while it's growing back, it also causes the tree tremendous stress!

In fact, the Arborists' Certification Study Guide (ISA) lists Eight Good Reasons Not to Top your tree.

1.  Starvation.
2.  Shock.
3.  Insects and Disease.
4.  Weak Limbs
5.  Rapid New Growth
6.  Tree Death.
7.  Ugliness.
8.  Cost.

Beware of tree services that practice bad pruning.  Think about it: if the tree grows back at this accelerated rate, then guess what, you have to call the tree guys again to come cut it again.  I smell a money-making scheme.

But now that you are educated on the matter, you can insist that they only prune a quarter of the tree's crown in order to keep it in its natural form.  Tell them that hacking off branches like that are not proper pruning techniques, to boot.  If they try to talk you out of it, call another company that has a certified arborist on staff.  Or heck, call me!

When properly cared for, trees will give back exponentially.  Here are some crape myrtles in their natural form taken after their bloom....   Pretty, huh?   They are known for their graceful shape -- let's keep them that way!

Crape Myrtle in its natural form 

Rows of Crape Myrtles at the Birningham Botanical Garden