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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-CA link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>These new findings contradict my 35 years of experience in the field and monitoring tree growth throughout. Perhaps they are talking about mulch volcanoes or excess mulch over the root zone. I have only seen the benefits and the proof is the resuts that I have seen over many years. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Ask yourself the questions about how organic matter is replenished in a forest? Trees "feed" themselves from their own litter. Without the mulch you put the tree into an inorganic, inert world and prone to the many problems that we are aware of, drought obviously is the main killer of young trees.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Jack Radecki Registered Consulting Arborist 342<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> canufnet-bounces@list.web.net [mailto:canufnet-bounces@list.web.net] <b>On Behalf Of </b>terri smith<br><b>Sent:</b> March-30-11 12:49 PM<br><b>To:</b> Canufnet Canufnet<br><b>Subject:</b> [CANUFNET] To Mulch or Not To Mulch<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>I would like to know if there are any municipalities that have stopped applying mulch on newly planted boulevard trees. Current research indicates that mulch should not be placed over the root ball because it causes roots to grow up into the mulch area, it also causes roots to remain within the root ball area instead of growing out laterally, and it actually prevents the water from penetrating deep into the soil. Dr. Ed Gilman and Dr. Hannah Mathers both agree that no more than 2 – 2.5 inches of mulch should be applied outside of the root ball area (if mulch is still going to be applied) and both are in agreement that mulch provides no benefit to the tree. At 2 inches of mulch there is little to no weed suppression.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>These new findings contradict our current mulching practices and have created much debate within our department. I would like to hear from other municipalities that have either discontinued mulching or have never mulched their blvd trees. Is there a need to increase the amount or frequency of watering?</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Terri Smith</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Urban Forestry</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>City of Saskatoon</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>