Mulching

In the next several blogs we will be discussing how mulching can help a tree grow or slowly kill it.

Excessive Moisture and Root Rot
 
This really is the number one cause of death by over-mulching. Repeated applications of mulch can result in a waterlogged soil and root zone, causing root suffocation, that is, they are no longer able to take in oxygen to breathe. The issues which are triggered from yearly over-mulching aren't immediate. The symptoms might take three to five years to develop, and occasionally longer, based on species and soil type. Sadly, by the time signs and symptoms (off-color foliage, abnormally little leaves, poor {growth|development} and die-back of older branches) are recognized, it's usually too late to make use of corrective measures. At this point the plant has gone into an irreversible decline – when roots decline and die, so does the plant.