A gardener on TikTok is sharing the dangers of creating a "mulch volcano" — a huge pile of mulch at the base of your trees — and offering solutions to improve trees' health.
Uncle Josh Gardens (@theplanttechie) shared a video showcasing a mulch volcano with wood chips piled almost a foot high right at the trunk of the tree. The reason it's a problem is because it creates "girdling roots," which can wrap around the tree and "suck out the life of it."
@theplanttechie Have you seen this crime? The dreaded mulchcano—when mulch is piled high against a fruit tree trunk like a volcano—might look neat, but it's a disaster waiting to happen!
Here's why you should NEVER do this:
Girdling roots – Roots grow in circles instead of spreading out, choking the tree over time.
Bug & rodent damage – Piled-up mulch creates a cozy home for pests that chew on the bark.
Traps moisture – Excess moisture against the trunk leads to rot and disease. The right way? Keep mulch 2-4 inches thick and away from the trunk!
Spread it evenly in a donut shape, not a volcano.
Tag a friend who needs to see this!
#mulchmistakes #fruittrees #gardeningtips #treelove #backyardorchard #homeorchard #organicgardening #gardeninghacks #plantcare ♬ original sound - Uncle Josh Gardens
Gardens also noted that a "mulchano" encourages rodents, bugs, and other unwanted pests to set up right against the base of the tree, using the mulch as cover, and traps unwanted moisture, leading to rot.
His solution is to dig out the mulch and expose the root flare, the part where the roots meet the trunk and flare out from its base, instead opting for a "donut" shape just 2-4 inches thick.
While mulch is very much a helpful tool in the garden or yard, too much can cause damage, not to mention be expensive to purchase in large quantities. Adding mulch, particularly organic mulch, to your yard is a great way to save on resources and help soil health while also suppressing weeds and controlling moisture.
Opting for native plants also cuts down on resources, saving you money on things like water, fertilizer, pesticides, and lawnmowers (plus maybe their fuel). The American Society of Landscape Architects notes that native plants offer food and habitat for wildlife, particularly pollinators like birds, bees, bats, and more, all of which are crucial to protecting our food supply.
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In addition to native plants, switching to a natural lawn with low-maintenance options like buffalo grass and clover also allows homeowners to save both time and money while helping the environment.
People in the comments appreciated Uncle Josh Gardens' tips. One person joked, "Looks like public works did not get the memo," highlighting the tendency of even professionals to create these mulch volcanoes.
"I hate seeing the mulch-canoes! Sadly so many 'professional' landscapers do this and don't understand the damage that they're doing," another lamented.
"I'm sending this video to my HOA," a third person quipped.
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