New homeowner shares photo of concerning sighting in yard: 'Was this a bad idea?'

A new homeowner took to Reddit to ask for advice about a tree that was planted on their new property. 

Posting in the r/arborists subreddit with the title "Please help me not hurt this tree," they explained their plight. 

They recounted that when they moved in, the builders planted a Japanese maple in the yard, but used a mulch volcano at the root flare at the base, which violated the cardinal rule of planting trees, which is "don't plant too deep." So, the homeowner dug out the base of the tree from the mulch and found several small roots near the base of the trunk, but none wrapped around it yet. 

"Is it in fact too deep (was buried up to where the bark is gray)?" they asked in the caption. "Was this a bad idea? And how much of it should I cover back up? I'd hate to hurt this little tree in the interest of helping it, so any advice is greatly appreciated!"

The poster was discussing mulch volcanoes, the commonly used landscaping tactic in which mulch is piled around the base of a tree trunk, in an effort to ensure that moisture is kept near the roots to encourage the tree to grow. However, according to The Ohio State University, this technique does far more harm than good. 

The issue isn't that mulch volcanoes don't do what they're supposed to; the issue is that keeping moisture near the trunk of the tree isn't what you want. It encourages mold and rot around the trunk, weakening it and damaging the circulatory system within the bark of the tree. 

On top of that, it encourages roots to grow in the wrong places and directions; rather than spreading out from the root flare at the tree's base, the roots will move up and through the mulch pile, wrapping themselves around the tree and eventually choking the life from it. 

The mulch becomes a waste of money, and could incur the additional costs of tree removal and a new tree. Keeping your native trees and other native plants healthy can save you time and money while helping the environment.

Natural yards require less water and other resources, reducing your bills. They also don't need as much labor and maintenance, saving you valuable time. As a bonus, native trees and plants create a healthy ecosystem for pollinators, which are critical to our food supply. 

Commenters were quick to reassure the poster that they'd done the right thing. 

What's the hardest thing about taking care of your yard? Mowing the lawn 🏡 Controlling weeds 🌿 Keeping pests at bay 🐿️ I don't have a yard 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"You done good," one said. "Found the real flare. Snip off all those lil pencil lead sized roots coming off the trunk and reapply mulch that leaves that flare exposed."

"This looks really good, but during the heat of summer is the worst time to do it," said another. "Be sure to give it plenty of extra water. A slow trickle of water over a long time is vastly better than the same amount (or more) in a short time frame."

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