You spend hundreds of dollars on a beautiful ornamental tree, carefully plant it in your yard, and surround it with fresh mulch to give your landscaping a polished appearance. Everything looks perfect, especially that neat mound of dark mulch rising around the trunk. But what if the very thing you did to protect your investment is slowly killing it? Unfortunately, this landscaping mistake is so common that you can spot examples in residential neighborhoods, commercial properties, and even professionally maintained landscapes.
The problem is called volcano mulching, and horticulture experts warn that it can contribute to serious tree damage, sometimes taking years before the consequences become obvious. Understanding what goes wrong beneath those attractive mulch piles could save you from losing an expensive tree.
