How deep should mulch be applied around trees and shrubs?
- Keith Funk
- May 2
- 1 min read
Q: How deep should mulch be applied around trees and shrubs?
A: For existing plantings, add only as much mulch as it will take to increase the overall depth to about three inches for coarse mulching materials (such as bark chips) and two inches for fine materials (such as shredded bark). For instance, if the material applied in previous years has deteriorated to a depth of about an inch, you need only add a top layer of two inches. The mulch should thin out as it approaches the trunk of the tree or shrub. Do not pile mulch up against the trunk of a tree like a volcano since that invites decay.
Read our Q & As with Keith Funk answering common Colorado gardening questions here. You can also hear him on the Garden Wise Radio Show
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