Resident shares photo after spotting bizarre landscaping choice in neighborhood: 'Am I mulching this tree correctly?'

Gardeners and non-gardeners alike are probably familiar with mulch volcanoes, or the act of piling up a mound of mulch at the base of a tree in the shape of a volcano.

However, this way of mulching is actually harmful to trees rather than being helpful, and as one Reddit user pointed out in a joke post, it looks kind of ridiculous, too.

Posting in the r/arborists subreddit, a Redditor shared a photo of a tree standing in the middle of an asphalt path with the asphalt around the base of the tree greatly resembling a mulch volcano and asked, "Am I mulching this tree correctly?"

Other Reddit users were delighted with the trolling and responded in kind.

"That'll help hold it in place during wind storms and even lock in moisture," one person commented.

Another user added, "It's better to get the asphalt higher up the tree but this will do."

What's the issue with mulch volcanoes? Simply put, the problem is that it's far too much mulch. Putting that much mulch up against the bark of a tree can cause the bark to break down, and covering the roots like that prevents them from getting enough oxygen.

Essentially, it isn't only bad for the person planting the tree, but also the tree itself and the nearby environment.

Instead of a pile of mulch, you can save time and money (and keep your trees healthy) by simply using grass clippings, fallen leaves, or plants from your garden as compost.

You can also save time and money by installing native plants in your yard. Switching from a traditional yard to a native one saves you time as it requires far less maintenance and money on your water bill, as native plants require much less water than monoculture grass.

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Additionally, rewilding your lawn offers more aesthetic appeal, not only for you but also to pollinators, as they are extremely interested in native plants. Bringing more pollinators to your yard will help create a healthier ecosystem and protect human food supplies.

Best of all, you can achieve these benefits by planting only a few native plants, such as the commonly used clover and blue grama.

Adding native plants and avoiding mulch volcanoes will help your yard become its most beautiful.

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