Yes! The best time to mulch around your trees and in your garden is the fall. Mulching in the fall provides your trees and lawn many benefits that keep them healthy throughout the winter and beyond.
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Mulching Preserves Soil Moisture
Mulching protects the soil around your trees and helps it to retain moisture in the winter. After you have given your trees one last good soaking with the hose, spread mulch around your tree to preserve that moisture.
According to Hansen’s Master Arborist Skip Kincaid, water helps your trees put “the right chemicals in the right place” to reduce the chances of tissues freezing during the winter. This process is especially important in young, newly transplanted trees to prevent transplant shock and allow their roots to survive.
Mulching Insulates Roots, And Suppresses Weeds
The goal of fall mulching is to moderate soil temperatures after the tree has gone dormant for the winter. Sudden chances can damage roots and dry out your tree.
Just as important, mulch can also suppress weeds. Without light, common weeds like dandelions cannot flourish, which is good for the gardener who is looking for a greener, weed-free lawn come spring. As a result, there is less root competition for water and nutrients.
Follow Correct Mulching Techniques
Mulching is so much more than spreading the mulch around your trees and plants and calling it a day. There are very specific rules and techniques you must follow to prevent damage to your plants:
- Avoid piling mulch against the base of the tree. Think of a donut surrounding your tree, not a volcano!
- Mix old mulch with the new, but not before raking it to aerate it and checking depth.
- Keep mulch only 2-4 inches deep
- Know how much you actually need by using our handy mulch calculator
Organic mulch from Hansen’s Tree Service is an excellent alternative to synthetic, as it is made from 100% organic green waste generated from jobs. If you have questions about the best mulch for your needs, the experts at Hansen’s Tree Service is more than happy to help!