Lawn Update 32 - How To Mulch and Edge Around A Tree

[@GravityPancake]

Ontarian here; dying each time you say 'root' 🤣 Imagining 'roof' would be similarly amusing. Great video, thanks for the tips!

[@jeffharris2741]

I know your video is almost four years old, but I enjoyed watching it nonetheless! You did a great job explaining each step and I really appreciated your cautioning viewers about working around the root flare and trying to avoid damaging it. Also mentioning that mulch should be applied away from the flare is an important tip. Good job! I subscribed!

[@mike33033]

Ryan thanks so much for this video and the easy to follow step by step. I know to some who are used to doing this it may seem like a really easy job but to others like myself it really helps to watch someone do the whole process and explain it step by step and not just show the beginning and the end.

[@Deb2sing]

Thank you so much for this video. Not only do you show us clearly HOW to do something, but you explain WHY you're doing it. I'm happy to subscribe!

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Thanks!

[@intheparlance]

Thanks for this video! This is just the kind of thing new homeowners (like me!) need to see. Saving it.

[@EclipseLawnCare]

I like how detailed you are in this project. Great Job!!

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Thank you!

[@klbass68]

So cutting the roots doesn't cause any damage?

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Not those small surface ones. They weren't supposed to be growing vertically into the mulch like they were, but because it was too thick, they were sort of suffocating and looking for air.

[@klbass68]

That's good to know. I'm re-mulching trees that weren't planted/mulched correctly and while getting down to the flare I came across some roots that were close to surface. A friend of mine said NOT to cut or prune them, as it would harm the tree.

[@drah9955]

Eclipse L C....I too like his attention to detail...I thought his presentation was great...I was in the service, heard all kinds of pronunciations of the English lingo

[@mmacejko929]

Raking the lawn after you have been trampling on it. My wife thought I was the only one to do that!👍🏼. Looks great. Nice job

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Oh yeah, it has to be done! It's one of the things I dislike about mowing tall is that any amount of decent traffic on the yard will make it look pretty terrible in no time.

[@cristiancruz5512]

The method that we use to clean the overhanging grass is to simply trim the grass with a string trimmer. To tie in the work with the mulch we also mow. That way the yard looks its greatest.

[@lawnboy1010]

You know more than most landscapers I've dealt with. Many continue to pile mulch year after year with little to no knowledge of horticulture and proper tree care.

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Well I'll take that as a compliment! I don't know where I stumbled upon the info but something sparked me do a lot of research a year or so ago about tree care and I learned a lot about mulching. Then I look around at the "professional" work and I see volcano mounds everywhere. Not sure where that trend started exactly.

[@lawnboy1010]

It is a compliment. It's just companies that don't take the time to train their workers. It makes my work harder educating my customers on why Volcano Mulching needs to be corrected and the additional work / pricing. As you know, it involves quite a bit of time and hauling off mulch.

[@davidhintz1806]

That's how they ditch the extra mulch before the take off.

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

I'm sure that would be frustrating and most people just look at what's around them and assume that all these landscapers know what they're doing.

[@ashfaqhussainkhan6825]

Virginia Refuse Trucks

[@davecharvella4854]

Perfectly done! Everyone should watch this vid and practice what they see. I know I will/am!

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Dave Charvella thank you and thanks for watching!

[@jimmorton1169]

scrappy looking worm there at 3:07. good video

[@borip8911]

Thank you for this informative video. Looks good can't wait to do mine.

[@maryanne.8624]

thanks for sharing -- more people need to learn about exposing those flares!

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Mary Ann Einarson very true. thanks for watching!

[@keith6400]

One thing I have noticed about how people edge lawns. After the initial series of vertical cut to establish the line people then come along and lever it out. This tends to be against the lawn surface pressing it down. I suggest either having your steel toe cap behind your spade and lever against that or undercut from bed side and approach from 90 degrees. Radial cutting can reduce sod size and resistance to digging out with less pressure on the toecap as smaller pieces are less resistant to digging out.

[@randygreen007]

That excess grass would make great plugs for areas in the lawn that need it.

[@davidmoran4471]

Nice looking job

[@JJE2010MO]

This is a great video! Love the step by step directions. Plan to put this into place on our newly planted trees on the farm. Thank you!

[@eyeamdee6209]

Great video! Extremely helpful.

[@willytrouble88]

great job! it took me a minute to figure out what a "rut flair" was though!

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

It's a northern pronunciation I guess.

[@willytrouble88]

haha! kinda like "wash" and "warsh"! Still a great video and your attention to detail is remarkable.

[@ShawnPitman]

willytrouble88 I was in the same boat! I actually googled "rut flair" in an attempt to follow along. Used to "oo" sound in New England.

[@chrislabuckas4314]

Haha...same here. I'm in Canada and much more North. No idea what a 'rut' was.

[@chrislabuckas4314]

I have learned so much from you...I can learn to live with the 'ruts'. Great content Ryan!! Keep the videos coming!

[@JoseMartinez-px2vx]

Perfect job! great attention to detail that is often omitted...

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Thank you and thanks for watching!

[@Matyme]

I have to go out and do this to a tree we planted about 3 years ago. We never edged it or mulched so the grass is always growing around it. It's really annoying when we cut the grass and have to spend that extra time going around it with the lawn mower. But the grass (weeds) are to tough for me to just dig out like you did in this video. But I guess that is what happens when you leave something to do later rather then just doing it the first time... This video helped to motivate me though so thanks. =)

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

You're welcome. I'm sure yours will turn out great with just a little bit of work. Good luck!

[@mambodad]

good stuff. i am new to MN and find your lawn care advice very helpful. thanks!

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Thanks for checking out the videos!

[@CONCERTMANchicago]

Warning! Cutting edge severs and prevents radially outbound "Feeder roots" from elongating past sloped edge. Landscapers using heavy go cart lawn mowers, cause sever compaction around lower edge of mound with tires. Further restricting outbound roots that help Support tree like guy wires, commonly growing only 1-2 inches below grade.

[@JEK]

Cleaned up edging looks great around the tree. Like a pitcher's mound! Way to keep the yard looking fresh and groomed.

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

I do my best!

[@GaryGill786]

Ryan :- this comment is not for the grass bro this is for you ... you looking good in the hoodie homie...😉

[@cpenrose64]

Nicely done!

[@Marina65829]

very nice job! i'm glad you didnt create a volcano mound of mulch!

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

had a slight volcano to begin with so that was the reason it needed to be fixed. Turned out pretty well I think. :)

[@PlantVisionz]

well done...thanks for sharing your skills (Hendrika)

[@OOrtiz87]

Do you have any issues when it rains? My edge holds the water in causing the mulch floating around inside the edge.

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

I don't seem to have issues with that. Most of the time unless the rain is crazy it will soak in fairly quickly.

[@trecall2]

just wondering, can I just leave the based without any mulch?

[@davem1212]

This is a secret relative to Chris Fix lol.

[@Adam-xc4qs]

Nah, he's far more charismatic! 😈

[@beptex2858]

😱

[@robynsummerrell7687]

Thanks very nice job and the info was great....lovely home and lawn

[@dillonocana]

What should my radius be from the center of the tree trunk?

[@empireofshred9612]

Yea nice vid great quality and narration.

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Thank you and thanks for watching.

[@jrturtle-xf2lp]

none of the trees in my area are done like this. possible from lack of knowledge of how to properly do this but also edging doesnt really work because we have sandy soil. how should they mulched? should it still be dug down and just accept that sand will fall in the mulch and not have a defined edge or is it okay to pile it up slightly? like 1-2 inches?

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

You can pile up a few inches. The problem is when most people put it on so thick that the tree roots start growing up into the mulch instead down into the ground. I don't have much experience with sandy soil so I would think you would need to use some kind of barrier to keep the sand in place.

[@jaworskij]

I liked that prog. rock music you had at the beginning.

[@Mityob67]

Good vid. Sharp work. Thanks for posting.

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Thanks!

[@kevindowe]

Good attention to detail Ryan. You're giving the LCN a run for his money...lol.

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Thanks for watching and the comment!

[@kkooltooly]

Hey Ryan, thanks for the nice video. I have a question. Do you think it is okay to use the old much as topsoil for topdressing/reseeding a small area on my yard? I got inspired by your video but I would not know what to do with old mulch if am to edge and thought of recycling. Thanks.

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

To be honest, I'm not sure. Mulch has a way of smothering everything underneath it so I would think because of that you would not want to put it on top of the seeded area. I use peat moss as a topdressing when I do seeding and that works well but as far as getting rid of the old much, you would have to find some flower beds somewhere to get rid of it or can you dispose in lawn bags?

[@kkooltooly]

I see your point. I think I just found one place I can use serious smothering on weeds and that's around AC unit. Thanks for your quick response. Now I cannot wait for a sunny weekend :)

[@nataliacoates9379]

looks amazing - well done!

[@ALnMO]

Can I use just the spade to make the edge or do you recommend the edger tool and the spade combo?

[@XavierThomasTyler]

Very nice

[@TriniDB]

How often you should change out the mulch? - Thanks

[@mrsp2858]

Very informative! Thanks

[@joshsherrod2822]

Is there a reason you chose not to use any type of edge border?

[@terptek1]

I read that we do not want the mulch sloping down from a tree trunk. It is better to collect water as close to the trunk as possible. Additionally, a finer mulch is better as it permits water to be absorbed to more readily penetrate the soil to feed the roots. Building up a mulch "ring" that is elevated at a point away from the tree trunk area is better for water collection and absorption.

[@stephanieschmitt4358]

Can you add rock instead of mulch? I have rock already under the tree with the black plastic edging that is coming up. I just want to remove the plastic and put a fresh edge like you did. Can I keep the rock in? I'm from Minnesota too! Thanks for the video.

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

You could keep the rock in but rock has some disadvantages. The first would be it holds in a lot more heat than mulch and that will make it so the tree roots get very hot. You don't really want that. However if you have enough shade that the rocks don't get a ton of direct sun all day long then I think you could leave it there. Mulch holds in moisture which is beneficial so the roots don't dry out as quickly.

[@stephanieschmitt4358]

Good to know. Thank you.

[@patrickwilson4902]

SWEET JOB!

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Thanks!

[@AIdotreviews]

Do you ever put some weed killer in that before covering with mulch

[@DanceLeena]

I like the video and your accent.. I bouhgt wood dye chips from home Depot for mulching? does it works? how to put fertilizer in tree with presence of mulch ?

[@jasandper]

great video

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Thanks!

[@danielswinger2986]

Why don’t you add landscaping fabric?

[@_SnowJustice_]

Hi, why expose the root flare? Also,should this flare exposure be done on crab apple trees?

[@lawrencewheeler8868]

To keep surface roots from from forming and girdeling the trunk .(wrapping around the trunk) yes,all trees this way

[@donpepejvb75]

turned out nice

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Thanks!

[@cutiepie-ik1mv]

nice job! have you thought about adding a ring of brick? it would make it pop.

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

In the future I might do some sort of landscaping around it. Good idea

[@jzizzles7799]

The upkeep of this sucks though. I would install a 4" plastic liner around the ring and hammer it to level of the soil. Then just weedwack all the grass trying to crawl over the plastic liner. Or pour concrete edging around the tree.

[@pjaug26]

Looks great!!!

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Thanks!

[@patg4246]

Hey...u live in Iowa right? Why do you always wear Minnesota gear?

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Born and raised in MN. My wife is an Iowan and I am now captive here...haha

[@valleygirl670]

@ryanknorr can you go back and show how you got a perfect circle around your tree?

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

best thing to do would be tie a string around the tree trunk and move it around the tree marking the edge as you go around.

[@freshprince512]

So impressed with you. How many times a year do you do this and when?

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

After you fix the mulch and do it properly, you shouldn't have to do anything other than pull mulch away from the edges every now and then and also put some new fresh mulch in when the old stuff deteriorates. I put in new mulch once a year or so.

[@cooldaddy1973]

What's the average diameter of the edged?

[@johnaway]

Nice job

[@rosset4music]

Looks good!

[@CWBush73]

Are you saying that a root flare the is barrier my mulch can kill a tree?

[@Nizm0350z]

cool. i need to do this

[@Nightowl82]

see a lot of mulch put around trees creating a volcano look which is incorrect, you are essentially starving the trees root system of water because it runs down and away from the trunk. The most effective way is to create a doughnut shape a dam per say around the trees trunk so when it gets water it stays around the tree better soaking into the root ball.

[@JeaneGenie]

Excellent !!

[@jennifert3528]

Can you come to my house? It looks wonderful, I was wondering why my landscaping did not look so good as the years went on....

[@SmoothChino]

well that old mulch is slowly becoming compost. I wouldn't throw it away!

[@taumax]

have you considered laying down landscaping fabric under the mulch to prevent weed growth?

[@leopoldogonzalez8068]

From my own experience, grass will go right thru that fabric, and you can't pull grassroots out. I have had to remove the fabric.

[@erikgutierrez3196]

What are ruts?

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

roots

[@yourname06]

so we don't want mulch up to the tree touching? why?

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

If you smother all the way up against the trunk the tree will start to grow roots toward the surface instead of down into the ground and this also causes girdling roots which can suffocate and kill a tree.

[@yourname06]

thank you so much.

[@NickD615]

Nice method. I don't agree with leaving the base that bare. Just doesn't look good and most people would agree. Putting enough to cover the dirt will be fine without harm.

[@williamdavis3509]

Do you just "eyeball" the circumference ❓🤔😁👍✌️🖖🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Tie a string around the trunk if you would like to

[@Greg29]

I don't really get mulch. It looked fine to me with just soil. And isn't mulch environmentally unfriendly? Meaning deforestation to make it.

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Mulch has many benefits. It's keeps the ground from drying out quickly and also helps to keep weeds down.

[@chernagast6754]

If you call around you can usually get wood chips from local tree services which aren't dyed or taken from forests. It reuses local resources, keeps that out of the landfill and it's the best and healthiest type of mulch you can find.

[@christschool]

What is a ruut?

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Root. Northern pronunciation

[@Jigsawmaster1]

Nice job. Cut the grass before you put down the mulch That way your grass doesn’t mix in with the mulch

[@ssdtrain1]

somebody watched "This Old House"...

[@BuckMcAntlerson]

Gotta get down to that rut...

[@ArturoGarzaID]

Yeah don't damage the "ruts." You need to get to the "rut" of the problem.

[@mcopeland05]

Hooked on phonics didn't work for him.

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

mcopeland must just be a northern way of saying it because that's how we all say it here.

[@ArturoGarzaID]

***** Canada?

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Arturo Garza what we call southern Canada which is Minnesota.

[@ArturoGarzaID]

***** That explains it. I've also heard many people say rum for room. I wasn't making fun or anything. I just found it a little curious, because I've never heard it pronounced that way. Great video by the way.

[@Mneugebauer00]

I just want to say, being from the midwest, you are pronouncing "root" correctly!

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Yes that is the way I was raised but apparently no one understands our way of speaking...haha

[@geravega77]

u rock

[@derekfogle5706]

for the tree you can put mulch up to 6 cm away from the tree usually it still looks mulched and other than that you can put mulch next to the tree itself you just cant make a god damn mulch volcano i hate seeing that .... but the bare ground a foot out in the middle blue my head off

[@JACasal29]

👍👍

[@MrEazyE357]

In what area of the country do they pronounce "root" like you do? By the shirt, I'm guessing MN. Do yall pronounce all "oo" words that way?

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Never knew I said it different than anyone else but certainly could be a midwest/MN thing. I would assume you say it in a way that rhymes with flute?

[@MrEazyE357]

ryanknorr Yup. Thanks for the the response. I was just curious.

[@bradleyjames1133]

Dude was that a snake or a worm at 315

[@martinhryniewiecki]

Getting dizzy...

[@drillsergeant623]

Roots not Ruts. You’re welcome 👍🏼

[@paulnavara7127]

Nice video! Please come to my house and take care of my trees.

[@cu0ngpitt]

Not my favorite video. Camera on the your head while working makes me nauseous