After moving into a new home, one Redditor was met with a problem they perhaps didn't anticipate: volcanoes.
Not the lava-spewing type, of course, but rather mulch versions. The red maples that lined the street outside the property had huge piles of mulch placed over their root systems, and the concerned gardener was keen to get the issue solved as quickly as possible.
"I trimmed off a lot of the small stringy roots near the surface and some of the bigger girdling roots about the thickness of a straw but wasn't sure how much farther and wider I need to go," they captioned several pictures of their progress. "It seems like I found the flare."
But they still needed some help, which is why they posted to the r/arborists subreddit. While the work they had done was admirable, commenters were concerned that the problem was only just beginning.
"I applaud your work!" one user said. "However, I fear that you opened Pandora's box on this one."
Unfortunately, mulch volcanoes are not a phenomenon confined to this single street. Well-meaning but ill-advised landscapers will believe that providing the base of trees with a lot of nutrient-packed soil will help with growth. In fact, it's likely to do the opposite.
The roots will be deprived of vital oxygen, while the moisture the mulch will retain will likely weaken protective tree bark, which could encourage pests, fungi, or bacteria to find their way to delicate tissue and make the tree sick. Plus, roots grow around (or "girdle") the tree trunk and can strangle it as they grow.
The commenter went on to detail that the picture appears to show a "well established adventitious root system with some significantly sized future girdling roots." Unfortunately, they thought it might be a lost cause.
"If it were my tree, I'd remove and replace," they concluded.
The original poster was dismayed that more work might be required and said they would call in professional help. But one user provided a sound piece of advice.
"By 'pros' find ISA certified arborists," they said. "A lot of them will give you free advice for the first visit. Landscapers will claim to know what to do but probably won't know as much as a professional arborist."
Despite their best efforts, saving the tree from the mulch volcano might be a lost cause. It's a real shame because trees not only provide a gorgeous aesthetic for any street, but they also help to improve air quality by sucking in and storing harmful airborne pollutants. They also provide natural shading and cooling and a habitat for a range of creatures — some of which are important for pollination.
To make up for the loss of biodiversity, should they need to cut their losses with the tree, the Redditor might consider planting a native plant garden, which can encourage birds, bees, bugs, and small mammals back to the area.
What's more, using plants well-suited to the local soil types and weather conditions means you can have a beautiful yard without the need for intense maintenance and heavy watering — unlike your average monoculture lawn.
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