It was the best of times, it was the worst of
times, or how vertical mulching almost helped save my tree...
Most of us are aware
of the five basic uses for compost. Do you know another
use for backyard compost? Vertical mulching keeps your trees healthy and helps
conquer some of their most ardent antagonists. It will relieve soil compaction
and in turn, increase aeration, moisture permeation, and add beneficial micro-organisms to promote feeder root growth.
I was introduced to vertical mulching the middle of last
summer when within a matter of a week, my sugar maple lost all of its leaves. I
turned to a Master Composter who explained how I could save my maple. With this
new information I set out to revive this most beloved shade tree. With willing
(ok, some coercion) help from my husband, we purchased a bulb auger for our
drill. Next we drilled holes in the soil at about 2 feet intervals around the
drip line of the tree. A tree drip line can be thought of as a wine glass with
the base being the roots, the stem being the trunk, and the bowl the crown.
Turn your wine glass upside down and you have the drip line.
My husband drilled down approximately 18 inches and I filled
each hole with compost. After a few weeks of keeping the tree watered, new
leaves emerged. We strutted around like peacocks as our neighbors marveled at
our accomplishment.
This spring we held
our breath to see if the maple would leaf out to its full glory. Alas, it did
not. Our tree had been granted life support but was unable to recover from
years of neglect. We will be replacing the tree with another sugar maple and
this time I vow to water and vertical mulch on a regular basis. Being
pro-active is my new battle cry.
Oh you may ask, why a
tale of two trees? The maple’s neighbor, an ash, has been infested with the
emerald ash borer and too has to be put down.
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| … it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair… |
Why is it called "vertical" mulching? I understand putting mulch in holes around the drip line for all the reasons expressed, but I am missing the vertical part.
ReplyDeleteIt is called vertical mulching because you are drilling holes into the ground and placing the mulch in them rather than placing it on top of the soil which you could consider to be horizontal mulching. Hope this helps!
Deleteso at what time in a tree's life does vertical mulching prove to be effective? When does one start treating for the E.A.bore? We're taking down 3 ash trees this year due to the bore.
ReplyDeleteI have read that vertical mulching can be done once a year as necessary. I don't believe there is a hard and fast rule, as each of us has different environmental stresses whether you live in an urban, suburban, or rural area. In my case, the past few summers of drought were also a contributing factor. As far as the Emerald Ash Borer, if you are going to treat your ash tree, it needs to be before infestation. The treatment is purported to be effective up to two years.
DeleteThank you. I have never heard of vertical mulching. I will certainly add this to my yard work list now. Is there a better time of year to vertical mulch?
ReplyDeleteLate fall or early spring when roots are actively growing is the best time to vertical mulch, but you may do it at any other time, if it's more convenient to you.
DeleteGreat idea! I'm going to try this on a few of my trees.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your story, I wish it had a fairy tale ending. Enjoy picking out a new tree.
ReplyDeleteSally
Great information! I will be working on many trees in my yard. Beth S.
ReplyDelete