Country: USA
State/District: MD
County: Montgomery
Date (D-M-Y): 11 - 11 - 2007

Photographer: E. M. Barrows

Identifier: E. M. Barrows
Collector: not applicable
Location: Bethesda, Maryland
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Keywords: A tree mulching tree trunks
Additional Information:

Abusive Butt-rotting Tree Mulching

This photo essay primarily concerns abusive, butt-rot mulching (sometimes called “volcano mulching”) that harms tree bases, and occurs in different parts of Montgomery County, Maryland on both public and private land.

This poor practice seems to be spreading in the County.

Figures 1–38 show improperly mulched trees, figure 39 shows a mulched tree in good shape, but too much mulch build-up near its base; and figures 40–46 show trees that have normal, healthy trunk bases and no mulch.

The correct way to mulch a tree is to make a circular ridge of mulch (about 1 inch high) at a tree’s surface root zone and very lightly mulch the saucer area.   This saucer traps rainwater for the roots.   Mulch should not contact a tree trunk so that the base of the trunk will remain healthy.

Butt-rot mulching obviously harms trees.

It reduces the amount of rainwater that gets to tree bases.

It wounds tree bases which do not heal or heal well.

It causes roots to grow abnormally above soil level.

It harbors bacteria, fungi, and rodents that can harm bark and major roots, causing “butt rot.”

It can stop the development of normal root flare which helps to buttress trees in storms.

It is especially harmful to young trees.

One can save a butt-mulched tree by removing the mulch, trimming off abnormal small roots about ½ inch from their trunk, and properly re-mulching the tree.

In view of the great tree loss in Montgomery County, it seems to me that we should pamper County trees and certainly not harm them with butt-rot mulching and other poor practices.

Reference

Aker, Scott. 2006. Mulch mounds are killing trees. Washington Post 8 June: H7.   (Just google the title to get a copy from the Web.)

(E.M.B 12 November 2007. Updated 1 December 2007.)


Please, click on images to enlarge them.



Figure 1.   Bethesda Elementary School, November 2007, a Japanese Chestnut Oak with volcano mulching.

Figure 2.   Bethesda Elementary School, November 2007, a Japanese Chestnut Oak with volcano mulching.

Figure 3.   Bethesda Elementary School, November 2007, a Japanese Chestnut Oak with volcano mulching.

Figure 4.   Bethesda Elementary School, November 2007, a Red Maple with volcano mulching.

Figure 5.   Bethesda Elementary School, November 2007, a Red Maple with volcano mulching.   This tree obviously has much trunk damage.



Figure 6.   Bethesda Elementary School, November 2007, a Red Maple with volcano mulching.

Figure 7.   Bethesda Elementary School, November 2007, a Red Maple with volcano mulching.

Figure 8.   Bethesda Elementary School, November 2007, two Japanese Chestnut Oaks with volcano mulching.

Figure 9.   Bethesda Elementary School, November 2007, a Red Maple with volcano mulching.

Figure 10.   Bethesda Elementary School, November 2007, an Eastern Sycamore with volcano mulching.



Figure 11.   Bethesda Elementary School, November 2007, an Eastern Sycamore with volcano mulching; roots are growing abnormally high from the trunk.

Figure 12.   Bethesda Elementary School, November 2007, an Eastern Sycamore with volcano mulching.

Figure 13.   Bethesda Elementary School, November 2007, a Red Maple with volcano mulching.

Figure 14.   Bethesda Elementary School, November 2007, a Red Maple with volcano mulching.   Wow!   What a big mulch volcano.

Figure 15.   Bethesda Elementary School, November 2007, a Red Maple with volcano mulching.



Figure 16.   Bethesda Elementary School, November 2007, a Red Maple with volcano mulching.

Figure 17.   A broken memorial plaque by a County tree on Wilson Lane, Bethesda, November 2007.

Figure 18.   Bethesda Library, Arlington Road, November 2007, trees with volcano mulching.

Figure 19.   Bethesda Library, Arlington Road, November 2007, a tree with volcano mulching.

Figure 20.   Bethesda Library, Arlington Road, November 2007, a tree with volcano mulching.



Figure 21.   Bethesda Library, Arlington Road, November 2007, a tree with volcano mulching.

Figure 22.   Bethesda Library, Arlington Road, November 2007, a tree with volcano mulching.

Figure 23.   Bethesda Library, Arlington Road, November 2007, a nice memorial plaque.

Figure 24.   Bethesda Library, Arlington Road, November 2007, a tree with volcano mulching.

Figure 25.   Bethesda Library, Arlington Road, November 2007, trees with volcano mulching.



Figure 26.   Bethesda Library, Arlington Road, November 2007, a tree with volcano mulching.

Figure 27.   Bethesda Library, Arlington Road, November 2007, a tree with volcano mulching.

Figure 28.   County Park, Arlington Road, November 2007, trees with volcano mulching.

Figure 29.   County Park, Arlington Road, November 2007, a tree with volcano mulching.

Figure 30.   County Park, Arlington Road, November 2007, a tree with volcano mulching.



Figure 31.   County Park, Arlington Road, November 2007, a tree with possible past volcano mulching, showing abnormal tangled root growth.

Figure 32.   County Park, Arlington Road, November 2007, a tree with possible past volcano mulching, showing abnormal tangled root growth.

Figure 33.   County Park, Arlington Road, November 2007, a tree with volcano mulching.

Figure 34.   County Park, Arlington Road, November 2007, trees with volcano mulching.

Figure 35.   County Park, Arlington Road, November 2007, a tree with volcano mulching.



Figure 36.   County Park, Arlington Road, November 2007, a tree that looks like it had harmful volcano mulching, showing abnormally tangled, exposed roots.

Figure 37.   County Park, Arlington Road, November 2007, a cherry tree that looks like it had harmful volcano mulching, showing abnormally tangled, exposed roots.

Figure 38.   County Park, Arlington Road, November 2007, a pine tree with harmful volcano mulching.

Figure 39.   Bethesda, Maryland, November 2007, private yard, a Sourwood tree with a normal tree base but with too much mulch near its base in the past.

Figure 40.   Bethesda, Maryland, November 2007, private yard, a Sourwood tree with a normal tree base but with too much mulch near its base in the past.



Figure 41.   Bethesda, Maryland, November 2007, private yard, a Tuliptree with a normal tree base and no mulch.

Figure 42.   Bethesda, Maryland, November 2007, private yard, a Northern Red Oak with a normal tree base and no mulch.

Figure 43.   Bethesda, Maryland,November 2007, private yard, a Northern Red Oak with a normal tree base and no mulch.

Figure 44.   Bethesda, Maryland, November 2007, private yard, Northern Red Oaks with a normal tree bases and no mulch.

Figure 45.   Bethesda, Maryland, November 2007, private yard, a Northern Red Oak with a normal tree base and no mulch.



Figure 46.   Bethesda, Maryland, November 2007, private yard, a Northern Red Oak with a normal tree base and no mulch.