Trees respond by growing a secondary root system into the mulch.

Of course, the pests and diseases get blamed if a tree succumbs, not the volcano mulch that set into motion the tree's demise in the first place.

Jul 19, Trees mulched in such a way cannot benefit from rain as properly mulched trees do. This red maple spent a lot of time with a volcano of mulch around it. Some kind soul recognized the issue and removed the excessive mulch, leaving the tree to look as though it is standing on a pedestal. Photo: Sandy Feather, Penn StateEstimated Reading Time: 4 mins. Apr 08, Treemergency: Mulch Volcanos are Erupting in Landscapes!

Mulch piled to stratospheric heights around tree trunks has been called many things (some not printable) such as pyramid mulch and mountain mulch. My personal favorites are mulch volcanoes (or volcano mulch) for stratovolcano-like creations and mulch mounds for those that resemble shield volcanoes. A mulch volcano occurs when a thick layer of mulch is laid guy with chainsaw falls off tree cut a tree and piled up against the base of the trunk, covering the bark and root flare, resembling a volcano.

For one reason or another, this way of mulching seems to be fairly common, even prevalent in some regions. Aug 26, Too much of a good thing, mulch volcanoes slowly kill trees. August 26, URBANA, Ill. – Mulch volcanoes have not quite made it as a new dictionary entry, but to landscapers, arborists, and gardeners, they are a new phenomenon. “A mountain of mulch, piled high against a tree trunk will not kill it immediately” says University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator Martha Smith.

Volcano mulching is exactly what it sounds like. This occurs when a gardener piles mulch around the base of a tree. When you step back and look at it, the mulch resembles a volcano. Many gardeners mound the mulch, assuming it’s going to help retain adequate amounts of moisture.

May 03, As with the soil mounded onto the root system during tree moat excavation, volcano mulch can also cause roots to turn back towards the main stem to encircle the tree trunk. In fact, it is common to see stem-girdling roots associated with volcano mulch, particularly with maples.

Sep 18, Properly Mulch a Tree. When we see a newly planted tree, too often we see excessive amounts of mulch built up around the bottom of the sapling, a situation known as a “mulch volcano.”. Though mulch can be great for a young tree’s future, this is the wrong way to apply shrubgrinding.barted Reading Time: 3 mins.