New here......how much of a dirt ring......

[Rebecca]

Hi! First post here. We have three smallish trees in our front yard. One is a magnolia tree. Anyway, grass is all the way up to the trees and I've learned that that's not good for trees. So my question is how big of a dirt ring should I dig around them?
My husband isn't a fan of trees and just as soon cut them down. He already cut down two trees in our backyard including a pear tree. Please help me make these look nice so he won't cut them down. I love trees!!!
Thank you.

 

[Jason Douglas]

Install a mulch ring with a 3-4' radius. Bigger is even better for the tree.

 

[Rebecca]

Install a mulch ring with a 3-4' radius. Bigger is even better for the tree.

Thank you Jason. Does it matter what type of multch? I hope that's not a stupid question.☺

 

[ropensaddle]

Thank you Jason. Does it matter what type of multch? I hope that's not a stupid question.☺

Not Jason but organic like wood chips has more benefits for the tree. Of course any mulch will help limit compaction and suppress not eliminate weeds! If you pull the weeds or carefully weed eat them low, then use fabric and then your mulch "it will be less weeds". There is not a maintenance free landscape no matter what people think, weed seed will find a way to propagate. Mulch like wood chips can be added and the weeds that do find their way up are easy to pull! When you mulch don't mulch to the bark start your mulch ten inch from the trunk and mulch to trees drip-line if possible 2 inch deep.

 

[ropensaddle]

Organic mulch creates many benefits to the soil's texture and microbial life. It promotes worm beds that help aerate the soil and adds nutrients the tree can use . It also has a curb appeal.

 

[Rebecca]

When you mulch don't mulch to the bark start your mulch ten inch from the trunk and mulch to trees drip-line if possible 2 inch deep.

Drip line? I'm sorry. I clearly have a lot to learn but am excited!

 

[crotchclimber]

Drip line? I'm sorry. I clearly have a lot to learn but am excited!

The drip line is the edge of the tree's foliage. So if you are standing under the tree and you look up it's where the tree ends and the sky begins.

 

[Rebecca]

The drip line is the edge of the tree's foliage. So if you are standing under the tree and you look up it's where the tree ends and the sky begins.

Thank you Sir Crotch. Lol

 

[Rebecca]

On more question. I have a small 2-3 year old lilac bush. Does that need a mulch ring as well or are bushes different?

 

[ATH]

(Short answer: yes, mulch for the bushes too)

Think about a tree's natural environment...they don't have to compete with thick sod for moisture and nutrients. Organic ground cover over the root systems is much better than grass. The wider the better.

Materials: just yard waste compost or leaves are probably the best, but they won't stay in place as well as wood chip mulch.

Just say NO to landscape fabrics. They severely limit air and water availability under them. They also prevent all of that nice composting mulch from fertilizing the trees.

Here is a picture of some I was cutting up...It was probably down 10-15 years. Look at all the nice black soil on top of the fabric. That is where the roots (from shrubs and perennials - no trees in this bed) are quite happy. Almost zero roots below the fabric. Think about how nice those root systems would have been if that organic material was being pulled down into the clay soil.

 

[Rebecca]

(Short answer: yes, mulch for the bushes too)

Think about a tree's natural environment...they don't have to compete with thick sod for moisture and nutrients. Organic ground cover over the root systems is much better than grass. The wider the better.

Materials: just yard waste compost or leaves are probably the best, but they won't stay in place as well as wood chip mulch.

Just say NO to landscape fabrics. They severely limit air and water availability under them. They also prevent all of that nice composting mulch from fertilizing the trees.

Here is a picture of some I was cutting up...It was probably down 10-15 years. Look at all the nice black soil on top of the fabric. That is where the roots (from shrubs and perennials - no trees in this bed) are quite happy. Almost zero roots below the fabric. Think about how nice those root systems would have been if that organic material was being pulled down into the clay soil.
View attachment 573045

Thank you ATH. So you're saying no fabric under flower beds as well?

 

[ATH]

I wouldn't put it anywhere.

*The weeds like the soil that builds up on top of it after a couple of years. So it doesn't stop weeds. Meanwhile, it prevents soil improvement for desirable plants. What is the point?

 

[ropensaddle]

(Short answer: yes, mulch for the bushes too)

Think about a tree's natural environment...they don't have to compete with thick sod for moisture and nutrients. Organic ground cover over the root systems is much better than grass. The wider the better.

Materials: just yard waste compost or leaves are probably the best, but they won't stay in place as well as wood chip mulch.

Just say NO to landscape fabrics. They severely limit air and water availability under them. They also prevent all of that nice composting mulch from fertilizing the trees.

Here is a picture of some I was cutting up...It was probably down 10-15 years. Look at all the nice black soil on top of the fabric. That is where the roots (from shrubs and perennials - no trees in this bed) are quite happy. Almost zero roots below the fabric. Think about how nice those root systems would have been if that organic material was being pulled down into the clay soil.
View attachment 573045

I don't use fabric in my yard either but it can help with weeds. I recently was asked to prune out several bradford pears that were planted in a 4 foot planting space in a parking lot with sidewalk and highway on the other side. He asked why they were getting blight and what could be done to slow the process down. I looked and he had black plastic over the whole area except where the trees poked through it. I told him you can start by taking up the mulch and removing that plastic! I thought the higher end fabric was breathable and water permeable ?

 

[Rebecca]

Thank you ATH. So you're saying no fabric under flower beds as well?

Ok. I just told my husband this. He's not thrilled at the idea of "constant weed pulling".
But I think I have him convinced to try it, thank you.

 

[ropensaddle]

I wouldn't put it anywhere.

*The weeds like the soil that builds up on top of it after a couple of years. So it doesn't stop weeds. Meanwhile, it prevents soil improvement for desirable plants. What is the point?

Yes; no maintenance free exists even rubber mulch will get weeds.

 

[ropensaddle]

Ok. I just told my husband this. He's not thrilled at the idea of "constant weed pulling".
But I think I have him convinced to try it, thank you.

I put more mulch down yearly, a top layer and really weeds are minimal and you can plant flower beds etc .

 

[ATH]

.... I thought the higher end fabric was breathable and water permeable ?

That stuff in the picture is high end stuff. This client doesn't do anything but. Further evidence, it is in good shape after 10-15 years in the ground. It allows SOME water/air through, but it limits penetration. I kept a little piece. I need to do a water penetration video. A great bit runs off, some goes through. The "weed prevention" is a myth...at least after the first 1-2 years. I will agree it slows them for a time, but not a long-term help. You spend a bunch of money to put it down. It hurts the plants for many years to come and you are still pulling just as many weeds 5 years later. Try Preen...it prevents weed seeds from sprouting. You'll still get some, but not as many.

 

[ropensaddle]

That stuff in the picture is high end stuff. This client doesn't do anything but. Further evidence, it is in good shape after 10-15 years in the ground. It allows SOME water/air through, but it limits penetration. I kept a little piece. I need to do a water penetration video. A great bit runs off, some goes through. The "weed prevention" is a myth...at least after the first 1-2 years. I will agree it slows them for a time, but not a long-term help. You spend a bunch of money to put it down. It hurts the plants for many years to come and you are still pulling just as many weeds 5 years later. Try Preen...it prevents weed seeds from sprouting. You'll still get some, but not as many.

I'll give it a go thanks, I been torching the garden, slows it some too, you can hear the seeds popping! I really don't mind pulling weeds, two summers ago I was taking care of my garden and a commercial sized raised bed garden about 150 feet long times ten rows. When your pulling two one ton dump loads it can seem tedious Really though if the soils right weeds pull easy And soon the desirable plants help shade them out. I'm a firm believer in the power of wood chips to improve soil. I had a Quercus alba that was used as target practice by kids for years it was showing signs of decline. I been putting chips down on it for 6 years now and it is totally healed itself and has much darker foliage and holds on to it longer than the other trees not yet mulched. It is amassing the difference it can make imo.

 

[Jason Douglas]

Benefits to mulching are many many many.

Linda Chalker Scott published an excellent literature review about the subject. Excellent reading for all pros.

Another benefit that doesnt get much discussion is that of the soil types and characteristics found in grasslands/meadows vs those in forests.

Grassland soils tend to be alkaline and the dominant soil microorganisms as bacteria. Forest soils tend to have a lower pH and are fungal dominated, including beneficial mycorrhizae. Basically you want to replicate a woody plant's natural environment as ATH correctly mentioned.

 

[ropensaddle]

Benefits to mulching are many many many.

Linda Chalker Scott published an excellent literature review about the subject. Excellent reading for all pros.

Another benefit that doesnt get much discussion is that of the soil types and characteristics found in grasslands/meadows vs those in forests.

Grassland soils tend to be alkaline and the dominant soil microorganisms as bacteria. Forest soils tend to have a lower pH and are fungal dominated, including beneficial mycorrhizae. Basically you want to replicate a woody plant's natural environment as ATH correctly mentioned.

I use chips in garden too, even though many believe it to not help, I find otherwise. I had wonderful cantelope and watermellon last year and looking forward to more in 90 days I even used them in the food plot sure made the white clover survive the dry season we have. I been planning a rabbitry for our farm sustenance and the dung will help the garden too.