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How deep should mulch be around trees and shrubs?
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Mulch can help suppress weeds and hold moisture, but adding a fresh layer without checking what’s already there seems like an easy way to pile it too high. How do you judge the existing depth before topping it up, especially when older mulch has broken down or settled?
I understand keeping mulch pulled back from woody trunks, but should it cover the soil over a shrub’s root zone, or stay clear of the crown and main stems too? What signs tell you mulch is deep enough to cause trouble, rather than just doing its job?
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Mulch can cover the soil across a shrub’s root zone, but don’t pile it over the crown where the stems emerge. That’s different from treating the whole base of a shrub like a tree trunk and leaving a broad bare ring.
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