How best to expand my "mulch zone?"

[Woodie]

Hello all,

I have a red maple (October Glory) that is roughly 15 ft. high. It's time to expand the mulched zone underneath the canopy. There is currently lawn grass growing in that area.

My question is...how best to do this, and when? If I dig the grass up with a shovel, I'm whacking all of the feeder roots. If I poison the grass, I'm risking killing the feeder roots along with the lawn. If I do it in the wrong season, I'm probably doing something bad, but I don't know what that is!

I think the best approach will probably be to hit the grass with a fairly weak (and lightly applied) glyphosate. Then mow the grass all the way down to the top of the soil and pile the mulch on top. This way I won't disturb any of the tree's existing root structure. I'm planning on doing that this week.

What say you all? Is there a better approach...one that's safer for the tree? Thanks in advance.

 

[Rtom45]

I'd apply glyphosate at regular rate, wait til you see it taking affect, then apply your mulch. The chemical is absorbed by the green portion of growing plants and transferred throughout the entire plant. It should not affect the hair roots of your maple if applied properly.

 

[rebelman]

I use a weedeater, angled to scalp the grass down to the dirt. If transplanting nice sod is needed, you might slice the turf away with a spade horizontally. I don't use chemicals, but won't rule it out. I'll put newspaper to help kill the grass out. You're being smart Wood Newbie.

 

[antigrassguy]

Kill Grass!!!

I am not a fan of grass! All you need to kill, well most anything, is to deny it sunlight. 4-5 pages of newspaper will work. NOT the shiny advertisement stuff but the regular reading paper. Its was made from wood pulp, allows air and water to move through, blocks light long enough to kill weed, decomposes fast. Lay out paper then cover with organic mulch 3"-4" thick and not against the trunk or a "cone of death" volcano pile. Mulch to the drip line every year and you can watch your tree grow! Happy mulchen.

 

[treeseer]

4-5 pages of newspaper will work. ...blocks light long enough to kill weed,

this is true for a lot of grasses, but not the rhizomatous types like Bermudagrass,

What kind of grass do you have?

 

[Ekka]

I'm for the glyphosate method .... mixed at 10ml/litre water and a dash of dishwashing liquid to act as surfactant. One pass spray, wait till grass yellows, apply mulch, drink beer.