Just don't volcano mulch trees

Mulch keeps the weeds down so the trees don't have to compete with weeds for water and nutrients

I wouldn’t use tree bark mulch or any commercial mulch of that type. When “mulch”, if you want to call that stuff mulch, breaks down it draws nitrogen from the soil, as plant matter starts to breakdown it needs a boast of nitrogen to jump start the breaking down process. I have two actually mulch piles in the woods and 4 mulch tumblers in my garden. I will spread real broke doom mulch on my property late winter.

The only two trees I mulch with a purpose is two little pecan trees I planted last year. I have wire fence around them to keep the chickens out. We had landscaping with the barrier sheets and fake mulch, rocks and all of that. After taking free classes from LSU Ag and LDWF I decided to turn my land into a wildlife preserve, but still maintain a well manicured appearance. Grass now covers where fancy crap was, and my trees love it! Grass makes the best natural mulch for a yard.

Most grasses are nitrogen hogs and don't build soil. Much better plants for "live" mulching. For trees, or anything else really, you don't want fresh wood mulches. Aged is better, especially for trees as trees tend to like more fungal environment. Good compost needs both brown (carbon) and green(nitrogen) sources. Lot of the permiculturists dondo chip and drop around trees that is cutting whatever greens and dropping them under the trees.

I was going to mulch my apple tree this fall with woodchips.
The thought was weed control.
Also I was hoping to hold back the spring thaw and budding until after last frost ?
Is this a feasible option ?

I was going to mulch my apple tree this fall with woodchips.
The thought was weed control.
Also I was hoping to hold back the spring thaw and budding until after last frost ?
Is this a feasible option ?

Wood chips pull nitrogen out of the soil, so you will need to add nitrogen back.

Keith