The smell of spring is in the air in Greater Columbus — not the smell of hyacinths or daffodils, but the smell of freshly applied hardwood mulch around trees and shrubs and other perennial plants.

Twenty years ago a tree surrounded by wood chips was rare indeed. Today the practice is commonplace, for a number of very good reasons: Replacing grass around a tree with mulch allows the tree more ...

Do you love your trees? Then stop this mulching practice. “Volcano mulching” is sure to lock moisture against the tree, inviting fungal problems, for starters. Markis Hill Special to The Star Pick any ...

While spring and summer have traditionally been the busy times of the year for spreading mulch around trees, shrubs and other perennial plants, more homeowners and landscapers are spreading mulch in ...

In addition to improving the aesthetics, there are some horticultural benefits as well. Mulch helps to reduce evaporation and suppresses weed growth. Having a wide circle of mulch around a tree base ...

Mulching your garden, indeed, mulching your young trees can be a good and noble thing. It can help to suppress weed growth, retain soil moisture for your young tree’s roots, and can also help to keep ...

Piling mulch too high, a practice known as "volcano mulching," is extremely harmful to trees and shrubs. Excessive mulch can lead to root dehydration, bark damage, and can eventually kill a tree. When ...

Homeowners have complicated relationships with trees. Most people know how important trees are to our environment, our health, and the landscape on which their properties sit. At the same time, trees ...