Tried a 3 inch mulch ring instead of 6 on a red maple in Greeley, and the roots did something I did not expect

Parker Johnson · 2026-09-22T08:05:03.75682+00:00

I have been doing 6 inch deep mulch rings for years because that is what I was taught, but last spring I went with just 3 inches on a red maple in Greeley that had been looking rough. By August the root flare was still dry and the tree put on about 8 inches of new growth, way more than the ones I mounded deeper. Turns out I was smothering the fine roots and trapping too much water up top. Anyone else backing off on mulch depth, or am I just lucky with this one tree?

The Design Community Hub

Loading…

Tried a 3 inch mulch ring instead of 6 on a red maple in Greeley, and the roots did something I did not expect | Arborists - The Design Community Hub