Homeowner panics after seemingly harmless landscaping job backfires: 'One of the best ways to kill a tree'

Piling dirt around a tree might seem harmless enough. Perhaps you've even noticed neighbors doing it.

However, many homeowners are learning from their mistakes and realizing that dirt and mulch mounds are among the worst ways to care for a tree. 

In a Reddit post to r/arborists, one user posted a photo of two trees with the bottom of their trunks covered in dirt mounds. 

"Can piling dirt around trees hurt them?" the OP asked. "How quickly would this happen, if so?"

Professional and amateur arborists promptly commented on the OP's post and advised against this devastating tree-harming practice. As a general rule, to maintain a healthy yard with viable trees, you should avoid dirt and mulch volcanoes. 

Excess mulch and dirt waste money and labor to apply and maintain. You'll spend even more money replacing trees when they die from suffocation and poor nutrient retention. 

When tree roots can't grow naturally without being smothered by unnecessary debris, excess moisture builds along the trunk, causing the tree to decay and be susceptible to disease. Too much dirt or mulch can dehydrate trees in the hot summer because it prevents moisture from reaching the roots. 

A better approach to tree care involves allowing the root flare plenty of space and air while only adding mulch in a circle a few feet away from the trunk. 

Proper mulching is essential to growing a natural lawn that saves you time and money on maintenance while attracting beneficial pollinators and eliminating the need for toxic chemical lawn care products. 

In response to the OP's dirt mounds, one Reddit user commented, "One of the best ways to kill a tree." 

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.

"Oh my God, THE ROOT FLARE!!" a Redditor exclaimed. "YOU'VE BURIED IT ALIVE!!!" 

Someone else advised, "Injury is happening each month starting from when the soil was piled there." 

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