Mulch Appreciated! Mulch Obliged!
We may not always agree that in summertime, the livin’ is easy, but Georgians have gotten pretty good at dealing with it. Sweltering temperatures and high humidity make that sweet tea even sweeter, as does a refreshing dip in the pool.
As you enjoy the simple pleasures of cool water, be sure to think about your trees! We’ve covered the watering topic in some depth on this blog site, and there are many more resources on our website at gatrees.org/urban-community-forestry/ask-the-arborist.
In addition to water, there’s another important tool to employ – mulch. Mulch is organic material placed on the soil’s surface around trees and plants to enhance their growing conditions and help protect them during the hottest months (as well as the coldest, wettest and driest.) Mulch helps maintain soil temperature and moisture, reduce water loss from soil, reduce weed competition, improve soil structure, and give landscapes a clean appearance. Mulching is one of the easiest and most beneficial techniques that can positively impact your trees’ health and vitality.
Here’s a helpful fact sheet that explains the procedures: Proper tree mulching.
And here’s a great video with our GFC arborists: Mulching video.
Stay cool this summer, and happy mulching!