Mulch volcanoes are the mounds of mulch piled up around the base of trees, like a cone, deep and high; they look like the name they are called by: volcanoes. It is one of the most harmful – albeit, unbelievably common! – landscaping practices seen in our area.

The mulch volcano can result in significant insult to trees, and lead to tree death. Some believe these piles look attractive, but they perform no useful function, and as mentioned, are actually harmful to your trees.

The purpose of applying mulch around the area of a tree is to preserve soil moisture – especially when there has not been enough rain. Volcano style mulch application doesn’t allow rain to get through to the tree roots effectively. So the practice actually worsens the problem of not getting enough water to the root system.

Properly applied, mulch can also help modify the effect of temperature extremes over the root system of a tree. Mulch volcanoes often leave critical areas bare and unprotected. In fact, unhealthy root growth and development may occur as a complication of mulch piled in this way.

The piling up of mulch around the base of your tree can promote fungi growth, and can pre-dispose it to disease development underneath. Vermin may also make their homes at the base of the tree if the mulch is mounded high.

It is not at all uncommon to see a tree completely rotted at the base come down in a wind storm – it has a classic gnawed-off look at the toppled base, and the tree roots are often still fully embedded in the ground.

The proper application of mulch is as follows:  2 to 4 inches in depth over relatively clean, weed-free soils and roots. Keep the mulch at least 4″ away from the base of the tree, and extend the mulch covering out in a circular fashion around the tree, to approximately the drip line of the canopy. “Wide not high” is a good rule of thumb!

Dad’s Tree Service, Inc. – We help your trees stand their ground!

Mature trees boost the value of residential homes by 10-20%, and they are often irreplaceable. But what about storm damage? Can’t fallen trees and limbs bring about huge expenses and even greater headaches? The answer to this question is “Yes”. Wouldn’t it make more sense to simply remove all the tree from one’s property to be safe?

Well, in a word, no.

The value of mature trees goes far beyond enhancing property values. Just a few facts, below:

• “Trees properly placed around buildings can reduce air conditioning needs by 30 percent and can save 20 – 50 percent in energy used for heating.”—USDA Forest Service
• “A mature tree can often have an appraised value of between $1,000 and $10,000.” —Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers
• “The planting of trees means improved water quality, resulting in less runoff and erosion. This allows more recharging of the ground water supply. Wooded areas help prevent the transport of sediment and chemicals into streams.”—USDA Forest Service
• “In laboratory research, visual exposure to settings with trees has produced significant recovery from stress within five minutes, as indicated by changes in blood pressure and muscle tension.”—Dr. Roger S. Ulrich Texas A&M University

Trees adjust to weather conditions which are typical for their climate. Under normal weather patterns, trees sway in the wind – these movements strengthen the woody material within the stem. It is the aberrant weather and storms that damage or kill trees and brings about property devastation. While there is no way to completely guarantee that a tree will not fall or break up in a storm, there are effective ways a homeowner can minimize potential damage and “weather the storms” with more confidence, while enjoying the many significant benefits of tree ownership.

In abnormal or unusual wind conditions such as hurricanes, tornados or other wind blast, a tree can suffer traumatic limb amputation, can break into pieces, or collapse altogether – especially if rains have heavily saturated the ground with water. There is no controlling where these limbs or trees may fall in those circumstances. HOWEVER there are known hazards that a skilled arborist can identify and correct with proper inspection and direct action:

• Identification and removal of dead or dying trees
• Identification and removal of major deadwood (typically 3″ diameter and larger) which is most vulnerable to wind shear
• Structural trimming to give room to your home and other structures from the anticipated sway pattern of limbs close to those edifices.
• Thin and balance as prudent dense or heavily lopsided tree canopies
• Proper pruning minimizes a number of structural problems which left untreated could cause the tree to become vulnerable to infection, infestation or weakening

And there are things the Homeowner can “do-it-yourself” to enhance tree health and safety:

• Pay attention to the water / hydration needs of all your trees. Water from sprinklers gets absorbed quickly by surface foliage and rarely reaches a tree’s roots. Trees need slow, deep watering if precipitation is less than 1-2″ in a week during scalding hot summer, but also if there are prolonged dry periods during the winter (if the ground is not frozen), during the spring growing season, and in the fall if it is dry. Soaker hoses are the best method for deep watering your trees – be careful not to over-water them, however, or you can invite fungus growth. Be generous but prudent.
• Use only proper mulching techniques at the base of your trees – NO MULCH VOLCANOES!
• Have lightning damaged trees assessed promptly to assess for loss of structural integrity. At the very least, these trees will need careful attention to hydration needs, and probably continued observation.
• Have your mature trees assessed at least every 2 years by a professional arborist. Dad’s Tree Service will provide you with a free assessment and estimate of any recommended work.
• Avoid root damage by construction and renovations. Set a “safe-zone”, aka a “no work zone” around trees near any proposed excavations – at least to the drip line of the canopy.

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Dad’s Tree Service – we help your trees stand their ground!

“The trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit.”
Moliere

“I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree. . .
Poems are made by fools like me 
But only God can make a tree.”
Ben Jonson

“The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their 
own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, according to its kind. 
And God saw that it was good.”
Genesis 1:12

“A grove of giant redwoods or sequoias should be kept 
just as we keep a great or beautiful cathedral.”
Theodore Roosevelt

“In the woods we return to reason and faith.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

“A tree never hits an automobile except in self defense.”
American Proverb

“Nothing is more beautiful than 
the loveliness of the woods before sunrise.”
George Washington Carver

“Other holidays repose on the past. 
Arbor Day proposes the future.”
J. Sterling Morton

Although not advised, you can plant your tree/s in the summer, as long as you are willing to water often. However, one must keep in mind that there is a greater chance the tree will be damaged, or even die, due to the heat. Try to plant in fall or spring in lieu of in the summertime, if you are able.

Because we got so much rain in the spring, do I still have to water my trees in the summer as well?

Absolutely. Summer is the hottest and driest of the seasons, and trees are constantly losing water to the atmosphere. Other plants can compete significantly with your stately assets for a good refreshing “drink”, and the adverse effects of too little water are multiplied during the longer, hotter summer days. Water is the single most limiting essential resource for tree survival and growth.

Trees should be watered once or twice a week in the growing season if there is no significant rainfall that week. Usually, 1-3 inches of water per week should keep a healthy tree in good shape (young trees may require more). Five gallons per square yard is about 1 inch of water. Slow, high volume watering is the best method (ie: using a soaker hose); less is evaporated or used up by surface plants, and therefore, more water gets to your trees’ roots. Regular sprinkler water is quickly used up by surface-area plants.

How can I prepare my trees for the upcoming hurricane season?

Hurricane hazards present themselves in numerous forms, some of which include high winds, flooding, and tornadoes. Many trees that fall or are damaged during a storm could have been identified as hazardous, had they been properly evaluated beforehand. A professional arborist can conduct a storm risk evaluation of your trees, in order to reduce or avoid damage. Diligent tree care before a storm helps minimize related issues and concerns, not to mention the loss of your garden, swing-set, or house!

When a tree goes dormant, it goes through a period where all physical activity is temporarily stopped (including growth and development). Trees go dormant in expectation of extreme temperatures or drought. This results in many trees entering dormancy from roughly late autumn to early spring.

Do they need water?

Trees need water in the wintertime just as much as they do in the summertime. However, one must be careful only to water trees when the ground is NOT frozen; otherwise the water may freeze and cause suffocation to your plants.

Can you prune trees in winter?

Commonly, the best time to prune is often during late winter (before spring growth begins). This is because during the winter structural problems are more visible, which makes it easier to make pruning decisions without tons of leaves concealing the branch structure. But not only is it appropriate for many trees to be pruned in the winter, it is also practical! Pruning in the winter has been shown to reduce ice and snow damage not only to the trees, but also to the structures surrounding them.

Does mulch really help?

Proper mulching is quite beneficial to trees, as it increases the available nutrients, improves soil structure, suppresses grass and weeds, and frankly just makes the landscape more attractive!

What can I do about snow and ice?

In the snow, one can always reduce the weight of the elements by gently brushing loose snow off of the tree’s limbs. Also, as mentioned above, proper pruning before the storm strikes can significantly decrease the amount of damaged to a tree and it’s surroundings.

Is de-icing salt harmful to my trees and shrubs?

Yes, salt is very harmful to trees (or any plant for that matter), for it restricts the root system from absorbing water, creating a drought-like situation for the tree or plant (despite all of the snow and ice surrounding it). This can eventually lead to the death of the tree (or plant). A more eco-friendly alternative would be to use sand when the ice comes, and save your trees and plants in the meantime!