When you are putting mulch into your beds make sure you DO NOT pile up the mulch against the bark of your trees and or shrubs.
At this garden, I am undoing the improper application of mulch from a major local company. They have piled the mulch in some areas up to 6 inches thick and as you can see here there is some funky mold and fungus now fast at work decomposing the wood. Decomposition is good, but with the proper amount of mulch we can avoid this kind of funky fungus/mold growth.
Imagine someone straps a piece of steak (beef) to the bare skin of your arm and you have to walk around with it on your arm for months. What would happen? The same little creatures that decompose the meat would begin to decompose your arm and you would succumb to infection and it would eventually kill you if you did not take the steak off. When you put dead wood mulch piled against living bark it is the exact same thing happening. The fungus and molds decomposing the wood mulch begin to work on the bark of the tree.
If you are applying mulch this year make sure to not pile it up against your trees and shrubs. If you are hiring the service out make sure your contractor knows about this. Improper application of mulch can set up the conditions for short and long term depreciation of your landscape investment.
Note the white stuff here. Mold and fungus’ working hard to decompose the over application of mulch.
