Mulching is the covering of the top soil with dry grass or leaves and there are a lot of reasons why this is done.
In managing planted trees, mulching is an important activity because it has many functions which include; Providing a layer of protection to the tree from weeds and grasses, helps retain moisture in the soil and the mulch is also an organic component that decomposes and acts as a source of nitrogen to the trees.
How to mulch
Mulch can be dark compost, and this can be applied as a thin layer of between half inch to an inch, Shredded hard wood mulch, pine straw but the most common mulch are wood chips.
To do the mulching, carry the mulching material chosen and pile it around the trunk of the tree to a thickness of between 2 to 4 inches. Ensure not to mulch up the trunk of the tree.
When mulching, avoid piling mulch around the trunk of the tree; also known as volcano mulching.
For established tree, check up on the mulch at least once every year and in the due course, remove any weeds that would have grown in the mulch and also loosen up the mulch all the way to the soil. This helps you ascertain wether or not you need to add another layer of mulch.
