Expert frustrated over harmful trend sweeping across new developments: 'The amount of money wasted in these situations baffles me'

An arborist took to social media to share their dismay over an increasingly common but damaging landscaping trend.

The post on r/arborists showed two images of two trees with their roots buried under mulch.

"This is just ridiculous. These live oaks were buried a good 5-6 inches above the root flare. The entire neighborhood is like this," the original poster said.

One commenter noted how common this problem seems to be, saying, "Not every landscaper is ignorant but it is crazy how often I see this."

Another suggested a shockingly high number of trees aren't planted correctly: "93 percent of professionally planted trees are installed too deep according to [sic] study done in 2000, hopefully that number will be lower in 2025."

The pictured phenomenon is sometimes called a "mulch volcano." As the images show, this is when too much mulch is piled around the base of the tree. The problem with a mulch volcano is the damage that it does to the tree's roots. The Missouri Botanical Garden mentions the problem of girdling roots. With nowhere to expand, those roots will wrap around the tree, restricting the flow of water and nutrients. Ultimately, this can cause the tree to wither and die.

When done correctly, mulching with natural materials such as bark, wood chips, leaves, and grass cuttings can be very beneficial. As a good rule of thumb, as the University of New Hampshire advises, a tree's root flare should be visible. Instead of a volcano, think of employing a donut — a three-inch layer of mulch in a three-foot ring around the tree, maintaining a three-inch space between the stem and mulch.

Natural solutions to gardening issues, such as rewilding a yard with native plants, are also a good move for the environment, take less effort, and save money — the ultimate win-win scenario.

Some of the commenters criticized the short-term thinking behind the shoddy practice seen in the thread.

One opined, "All they're interested in is getting it to look good for sale. They'll walk away and never give it another thought."

Should homeowners associations be able to determine what you grow in your garden? Yes 💯 Only if it impacts your neighbors 🏘️ Depends on what you're growing 🌼 Heck no 🙅 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"The amount of money wasted in these situations baffles me," another said.

Another floated a hyperbolic but actually useful suggestion, writing, "It's to the point where I want to buy a billboard along the highway with a psa showing proper tree planting, so many trees suffer shortened lives for no reason but lack of knowledge."

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.