A homeowner's well-intentioned landscaping project turned into an online lesson after they posted a photo of their backyard trees with a thick pile of mulch pushed up against the base of one of the trunks.
The Reddit user explained in the r/arborists forum that they had received a large delivery of free wood chips from ChipDrop and had put the excess in the backyard near some trees — something they were having second thoughts about.
"I have it currently piled up against one side of a couple trees out back," they wrote. "Would this be harmful to the trees or pose a significant threat to the roots/structural integrity?"
As many commenters pointed out, mulch volcanoes — those cone-shaped piles stacked high against tree trunks — do more harm than good.
"Yes, piling up mulch on a tree is bad for it," one commenter warned. "Granted it sounds like it's temporary so it might not do too much to it. If you leave it for years, yeah it'll trap water against the trunk and cause rot."
Others added that the excessive moisture creates ideal conditions for pests and fungi while also suffocating a tree's roots.
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Over-mulching is ultimately a waste of time, money, and resources. When mulch suffocates roots or rots bark, homeowners end up paying to remove and replace their trees. Piling mulch unnecessarily deep also means extra work hauling, spreading, and replenishing material that never needed to be there in the first place.
Instead, experts recommend spreading mulch in a wide, flat circle around the tree — two inches to three inches deep — keeping plenty of space clear at the trunk. Beyond being healthier for the tree, proper mulching conserves soil moisture and moderates temperature, helping trees thrive naturally.
For homeowners looking to level up their landscaping, rewilding your yard is a great start. Using plants that are native to your area, clover or buffalo grass, or eco-friendly landscaping techniques such as xeriscaping saves water and cuts maintenance. It also creates healthier habitats for pollinators, which supports our food supply. Even partially upgrading to a natural lawn can make a difference.
The post's comment section was filled with advice.
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Mowing the lawn 🏡 "The trunk can't handle a lot of moisture being pressed against it 24/7. That will cause the bark to start splitting, allowing rot into the tree," one user said.
"Don't mound up anything against the base of the tree, you will choke it," another added.
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