This is a lovely portrait mode photo of a stand of trees, perfectly spaced. When planted long ago, someone had a vision and knew how far apart to plant them so they could mature in place and not be crowded. This is the way trees are supposed to look, flared at the base. It always upsets me when I see landscapers covering the natural flare with mulch volcanoes. via
7 comments:
agreed!!!
Gorgeous stand of mature trees! I also love the natural flare of their roots entering the earth. We never saw a tree any other way when I was young in NJ. However in recent years, with what I call a landscape "copout" chemical saturated woodchip mulch is spread over so many American properties to the detrement of birds who depend on critters living in the earth and sweet little wildflowers that grow in the lawn for bees as well as surrounding the base of trees to make mowing easier. Sadly, this promotes root girdling which is when tree roots that normally seek oxygen, grow higher up the trunk and wrap around it causing strangulation. Trees draw nutrients from the soil just beneath the bark so as the tree grows in girth it becomes unable to draw that nutrition upward. One telltale sign that your tree is at risk is, as you said, the tree trunk not visibly flaring at the base. A tree can sometimes be saved with removal of the mulch mound and injecting oxygen into the earth as well as cutting the roots at the base, but for mature trees where roots have grown together that's not always successful. We've lost one and many others planted long before we came here, suffer from this. It's extremely sad to lose a tree.
Beautiful. No one can paint a picture like Mother Nature!
It is beautiful. Pam is right. No one can paint a picture like Mother Nature. I love the look of allees of trees, and I think I'm one of the few who loves fog. It has such misty, magical and meditative qualities. I live close to San Francisco so I'm blessed to be able to see the fog as it rolls in over the hills. It envelops the hillsides, and cools things down in summer evenings. Interesting and educational comments from Jeanne about trees, in general, wood chip mulch, and how it's use adversely impacts not only the trees, but the wildlife. I've never much cared for the look of it, and here in northern California, it is fire fuel to boot.
Pam and lisa -- Pam, You are right about Mother Nature painting the best pictures. Lisa, I am a fog lover too but don't get to see as many foggy days as you must see near San Francisco.
xo, Rosemary
JEANNE ILLENYE -- You certainly are quite knowledgeable about the planting and care of trees. I have never purchased mulch in my life and always thought it was a waste of money. I think mulch volcanoes are unattractive and are the invention of landscapers. The guy on This Old House takes great delight in breaking them up in hopes the tree isn't too far gone to recover. He never mention giving them oxygen!!! Using string trimmers around the base of young trees is also quite damaging to the bark. Thanks for all of your helpful hints.
xo, Rosemary
...sorry I got a little long winded there. Love your term mulch volcanoes! As a child in grade school when we learned how trees emit oxygen which we inhale, I asked my father why then do so many people cut down trees? He agreed it was a sad thing people do. As an adult, to quote my hubby, I'm a big tree hugger! Thanks for posting my terribly loooong comment. Cheers!
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