The key to good tree health, resilience and long-term sustainably is very much tied to good mulching practices. Throughout Anne Arundel County it is all too common to see mulch applications in conical or volcano shaped mounds. This routinely accepted landscape practice, while aesthetically appealing to some, is unnatural and can be very damaging to tree health.
The purpose of the Mulch Education Project is for Master Gardeners to develop educational materials, write articles, offer presentations and demonstrations to educate the public about mulching best practices. The project will also provide information about techniques to mitigate the damage to trees caused by improper mulching. Outreach will be conducted at libraries, farmers markets, garden clubs, homeowners associations, environmental organizations and other public venues to engage individuals, neighborhoods, congregations, schools, private and governmental entities in the support of tree planting and stewardship.
The project will be conducted in collaboration with other county Master Gardening Volunteer projects and with Anne Arundel County’s Watershed Stewards Academy’s Replant Anne Arundel Tree Trooper Program. As the project evolves, outreach efforts will hopefully extend to professional landscapers and the nursery industry.
Mulch Matters - More than you think
For more information about mulching:
https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/mulch
https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-724/426-724.html
