Managing and training personnel to landscape with horticultural fundamentals is essential to long term vigor and plant appeal. All of Pacific Green Landscape, Inc.’s crews are shown the proper way to trim plant material so that each plant can receive a better bloom, shape, and health.
One of the ways to protect the health of trees is to ensure that there is a clear cut tree well around the base of each tree. There are aesthetic reasons for having tree wells: the tidy circle around the tree provides a nice contract to the surrounding grass; the most important reasons to use tree wells, however, pertain to the health of the trees.
The tree wells protect exposed tree roots from damage caused by lawnmower blades and string trimmers. The visual boundary created, as well as the additional space between the tree and the turf, helps protect the tree, the inner bark, roots, and cambium near the soil line from damage. Damaged roots and bark make trees more susceptible to disease, which invites insects and fungi infestation.
Mulching tree wells is also about maintaining healthy trees. Mulch retains moisture for tree roots, keeps light from reaching weeds below, and is also an inhospitable substrate for weed seeds that land on top. The diameter of the mulched area surrounding the tree should extend as far as roots are visible. Mulch should not, however, be piled on top of exposed roots because moisture trapped by the mulch provides an ideal environment for root rot (fungus).
A tree well really is the best thing you can do for a tree to ensure proper health. The best advice is to remove sod from around the base of the tree and replace with mulch to create a well-defined tree well.
