The Proper Way to Mulch a Tree

On Thursday April 12 the Fanwood Shade Tree Commission held a tree mulching workshop at Carriage House Park in Fanwood. Attending the program was the Park Middle School Environmental Club. The club members learned that mulch should be placed six inches away from the trunk in a donut shape around the tree to hold moisture for the roots. They learned to never pile mulch against the tree trunk resulting in a mulch volcano; a mistake frequently made by landscapers. Mulch volcanoes can trap moisture in the trunk and cause decay. The club members learned that donuts are good and volcanoes are bad!

Pictured here are club members Anthony Chrisostomides, Erin Ryan and Allison Lesser

The tree is a green ash.