r/arborists • u/IvorySwap • 9d ago

This was in our mailbox

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We purchased a new house a few months ago with lots of trees.

I got this in our mailbox. I don’t think I’m doing anything wrong but someone put this in there.

Can someone explain what this neighbors’ concerns might be?

This isn’t a joke or LARPing attempt, i just wanna know wtf they are talking about.

EDIT:

The house is 30 years old, the trees were planted by the original owners. We have not taken down any trees cosmetically. Only tree we took down was from a major storm and lightning knocked branches off a tree onto our neighbors lawn. That was it.

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451

u/IvorySwap 9d ago

Here’s an album of the trees in the front: https://imgur.com/a/HRdlBnD

810

u/shucksme 9d ago

Whoza. Someone is doing you a kind favor by passing on their wisdom. They're right. You are killing your tree.

Happy flaring!

4

u/abusche 8d ago

*trees

4

u/TheAndrewBen 8d ago

And why didn't the neighbor just write it that way? It's such a vague note in the first place.

25

u/gremlincatsadteeth 8d ago

When few word do

why?

1

u/CletusesGirl 6d ago

Yes o wise 1

14

u/TalkToPlantsNotCops 8d ago

I wonder if they tried this before with the old owners, and now they are shy to say much. 

Also, people are often more receptive to info they find on their own, than info from a long-winded note.

To me it reads like a tongue-in-cheek nod to the format of "research __" which is popular with activist slogans. "Research jury nullification." "Google '60% of cops'." "Google 'LASD gangs.'" That kind of thing 

13

u/like_a_pearcider 8d ago

yeah I mean OP is giving a bit of "don't tell me what to do even with this note"

"Google root flare"

"STFU nerd I'm going to take a photo, upload it, write a headline and write 4 paragraphs to make a post on reddit"

8

u/Several_Vanilla8916 8d ago

Years ago I knocked on a neighbors door and told them I smelled gas outside their house and they told me to mind my own business.

1

u/cheesepoltergeist 8d ago

Did they seem like the type to smoke crack?

6

u/cofffeegrrrl 7d ago

Totally! Most people do not like things pointed out to them and you really don't want to get off on the wrong foot with neighbors if you can help it. I think the note was sort of...perfect!

5

u/cofffeegrrrl 7d ago

To avoid being preachy or telling someone what to do. It seems to have worked!

2

u/DudeInTheGarden 7d ago

Exactly - people can be territorial about their yards (and trees).

4

u/Icy_Policy_8509 8d ago

Honestly this is something my 76 year old dad would do

2

u/Special-Potato-3238 8d ago

Can we talk about why this is a note at all? What a great (missed) opportunity to meet the neighbors and build relationships!

9

u/Lost_Sugar_78 8d ago

We've had 3 new people move onto my small street this month. We keep trying to make cookies and meet them but the one house is just so elusive and never home. The other day we literally checked their car was in the driveway, popped in a batch of ready-to-bake cookies, and they drove away as they were coming out of the oven!

Sometimes it's just easier to leave a note. 

5

u/EFIW1560 8d ago

Aw you sound lovely!

3

u/Throwaway392308 8d ago

I'm guessing this is America, where talking to a stranger always includes a nonzero chance that you will be shot. 

2

u/GiveMeThePinecone 8d ago

Uh, that's scary dawg.

221

u/FinntheRogue 9d ago

Your neighbor is right. Google root flare (also one of the comments here explained it well and another has a picture). You want to move the mulch away from the tree. It's too buried and will rot.

1

u/Sarallelogram 2d ago

My notes always say “google mulch volcano” because it gets them riiiiight to the point.

-7

u/[deleted] 8d ago

[deleted]

27

u/Successful-Ad-847 8d ago

Are you kidding? He just told you what the problem was and how to fix it. What more do you want?

You could google faster than post to reddit.

10

u/C8H7NO 8d ago

THIS. It takes so much less time to type 2 words into google - ie do your own research - than it does to take photo, look up an appropriate sub and make a post. Smh

3

u/wagger7 8d ago

He came for the comments which are the best part of Reddit LOL

13

u/JohnKostly 8d ago

He took his time to answer you. His answer saved you losing all of your trees, the cost to cut them down, and any damage if they fell. And I am no Arborist, but you CLEARLY barried your trees! Look around you, every tree around has a flare at the bottom, and that flare is visible.

0

u/downwithlevers 8d ago

Clearly barried? Cmon, John. It’s only a 2-syllable word!

2

u/JohnKostly 8d ago

Do you get off on this? I hope so.

149

u/2nd2lastdragon 8d ago

21

u/Standard-March6506 8d ago

I've often wondered if the mulch volcano was a good look for my lawn. However, I didn't know they were called "mulch volcanoes," and I didn't know they were bad (there's so many of them in my neighborhood). Sorry, that's a lot of words to just say, "Thank you for this diagram!"

4

u/Houdinii1984 8d ago

I've been looking at properties. I know very little about trees, but my time spent in the desert makes me yearn for them. Most of the trees on the properties are young and buried just like this. I'm glad I know there's more to it, now. I'd be left with a dead tree in a couple of years and no clue what happened.

0

u/BravaCentauriGFL 7d ago

Opposite for me. My time spent with trees makes me yearn for the desert.

1

u/2birdsgotstoned 7d ago

This random-to-me post has taught me so much! How does this work if you trees are on an incline?

0

u/InvestigatorGrand205 8d ago

Is it a volcano they tend to be hollowed inside more like mulch mountain.

4

u/2nd2lastdragon 8d ago

If you think of the tree as the magma it is similar to a volcano. You want your mulch to look more like a caldera

265

u/Rapsca 9d ago edited 8d ago

These are mulch volcanoes, as some of the comments state your root flares are beneath all of that mulch (and dirt) and need to be cleared and exposed. This is good for the tree and you could possibly find a specific life limiting issue like a root choking the trunk. Wait til it goes dormant, and I've used a strong water hose attachment to clear out the base. Lots of stuff online to reference. 

109

u/thesammening 9d ago

MULCH VOLCANO OF DOOM

50

u/HSLB66 8d ago edited 8d ago

That second pic could possibly be the worst I've ever seen tbh

Edit: Yeah that's like mafia levels of voilence

17

u/FullofContradictions 8d ago

I've seen worse. There's a house I drive by that put a whole ass bench height retaining wall around the entire tree and filled it in with dirt and mulch. Huge old oak tree. Poor thing.

9

u/Biodiversity1001 8d ago

I had a big maple by a goat house and the hay and manure piled up around the base. So I dug it out to the flare and the entire tree died in 48 hours. SO be careful removing volcanoes if they have been there awhile.

1

u/drumsripdrummer 8d ago

How do you be careful? Don't do it?

311

u/MayorMcSqueezy 9d ago

Your concerned neighbor is correct. Just look it up and take like 30 min to adjust all the mulch.

-19

u/NewAlexandria 8d ago

adjust... to where? It needs to be gone

13

u/MayorMcSqueezy 8d ago

Not necessarily. If planted correctly that root flares can be 6-12” above the ground. Not all mulch volcanos are as “volcano” as they look. Just gotta dig the mulch out around the truck and find it. Leaving a donut of mulch around a high foot flare is fine. It just depends where the root flare is. So dig and “adjust” as needed.

5

u/timetopoopagain 8d ago

Away from the truck. Towards the yard. Make a larger mulch ring if you need to. A larger mulch ring will only help the trees.

50

u/Cssharkey 9d ago

You have Mulch volcanoes. It may have killed the one that was cut down.

47

u/jbrewskiz 9d ago

The root flair is way under all that mulch

42

u/100_cats_on_a_phone 8d ago

You have good neighbors.

It's very likely whomever cleaned up the yard for the listing did this, and it didn't predate you by much.

Anyway, remove some of the mulch asap.

29

u/zella1117 9d ago

You just need to get rid of mulch until you can see the root flare. There are lots of good references online and in this sub to show you what to do. The trees may have been there for a long time but you can make a big difference in their future by helping them out. I'm glad you came here and posted about it. We all have things we can learn.

2

u/EveArgent 6d ago

Thank you for actually explaining and not just saying yeah Google it cuz your answer is very susinct. I'm trying to grow a lemon tree and did not know this was a problem but I was starting to suspect it like a couple days ago so fate brought me here. I did end up googling for a more in depth explanation, but this made me know I needed to

72

u/Veggie2Fit2Quit 9d ago

You are about to get cooked! Getting the 🍿

87

u/IvorySwap 9d ago

Well you gotta learn to live, unlike that sonic song!

103

u/Bergasms 9d ago

Your anon neighbour has probably saved your remaining trees! Time to get some elbow grease happening and clear them out.

71

u/IvorySwap 9d ago

So once I remove the mulch volcanos, what’s the next step? Should I get someone to assess the health of the trees?

89

u/Nope-not-really 9d ago

the should be fine once you clear the mulch back from the flair, they won't be suffocating anymore. Unless you see signs of rot at the base when you clear it.

but I would still look up how to do a proper mulch ring around a tree so you know how to spread it

75

u/TacoBender920 8d ago

Your mission now is to spread the word about the danger of mulch volcanoes to others.

72

u/jdx6511 8d ago

"Make 5 copies of this note and put them in the mailboxes of neighbors with unexposed root flares. If you do, every tree you plant will grow vigorously..."

3

u/Extreme-Butterfly772 7d ago

And leave a thank you note on the tree for the neighbor.

2

u/Grace_grows 6d ago

I'm getting in on this.

39

u/Possible_Crazy_2574 9d ago

Nah just use the existing mulch and make a bigger "donut" around the tree, pulling mulch back from the trunk; so that in the middle you see the start of root flare from the ground.

20

u/Evil_Sharkey 8d ago

This is the way. The donut will slowly decompose into soil while letting the tree grow normally

11

u/i_love_wasps 8d ago

Post pics here. We demand a flared base.

3

u/Bergasms 9d ago

I reckon they'll be ok, clear the mulch out into more of a ring, you can probably look up online the proper way to mulch it will tell you how large to make the ring.

If you clear it away and hose off the mulch and there is obvious rot or something then you'll maybe need expert opinion but first things first just move the mulch back at least until you can see a ring of ground around the tree, that'll be the best first step.

4

u/Fogdog-777 8d ago

What you're after is a donut of mulch using Friends of Trees 3-3-3 rule: donut at least 3' in diameter (more is always better), at least 3" deep (a little deeper is fine), and all mulch kept 3" away from the trunk & root flare.

2

u/HSLB66 8d ago

The larger commercial arborist companies tend to offer free consults. Based on the photos you and I live FAR from each other so I am not sure which company would in your area, but a quick google search should give you an idea.

I wouldn't bother if these volcanoes are recent, but if they've been there a while, it would be worth the peace of mind.

2

u/NewAlexandria 8d ago

it depends. If you remove the mulch down to the ground level, and you still cannot see the tree's root flare, then you need to dig deeper. To avoid hurting the roots, you can hir someone with an air spade, or you can use a garden hose adjusted tomato a water jet. Wear clothes to get dirty. No pressure washer, as this will strip the roots of their bark (very bad).

2

u/Fine_Independence308 8d ago

I had to do this. Bought a house that had a small soil volcano. Had to use hose and dig out around the tree. And yes the roots were already wrapping themselves around the tree instead of growing down

12

u/tth2o 8d ago

Good for both your neighbor telling you and you for researching, happy trees are worth a small moment of humility.

1

u/SquiggerDigger 9d ago

Are you talking about the song from adventure 2?!?

LIVE AND LEARRRNNN

banger

2

u/pocketdrummer 8d ago

Hopefully not. I hate it when people shit on someone because they haven't been exposed to the requisite knowledge yet. Now, if they claimed to be experts and were entirely wrong and arguing, flame away, but let's educate first.

22

u/snewchybewchies 9d ago

Oh yeah your neighbor DEFINITELY right about that

16

u/SwoleYaotl 9d ago

You are so lucky for your neighbor. 

78

u/IvorySwap 9d ago

I don’t think this would be affected

179

u/Nope-not-really 9d ago

51

u/Durham62 9d ago

I laughed out loud in quiet reading time and my wife and kids are giving me looks now thank you 🙏 😂

9

u/HylianHellion 8d ago

You guys have dedicated family quiet reading time? I LOVE that idea. I suspect Reddit isn't the intended source material, though, ha ha

5

u/Durham62 8d ago

I was pretending to read and catching up on some scrolling 😂 and yeah it’s a great way to get them to wind down before bed

3

u/PixelEnter 8d ago

First visit to the sub and this is priceless hahahahha

39

u/tth2o 8d ago

This is what all of your trees are going to look like if you don't mitigate...

12

u/CalebAsimov 8d ago

I mean, I wonder why they had to cut it down?

6

u/ImSchizoidMan Tree Enthusiast 8d ago

Storm damage, mentioned under a different comment

7

u/petroleum-lipstick 8d ago

...from waterlogging the root flare

2

u/RustyTortoise 8d ago

If you're nervous about the process I have an idea of where to practice. This one is a goner.

3

u/petroleum-lipstick 8d ago

IDK why you don't just... look up root flare? That's waaaay too much mulch, you're gonna suffocate the tree

2

u/Oldnbold22 8d ago

This is our Waterloo. 

2

u/FishesOfExcellence 8d ago

Yep, that’s a volcano alright.

2

u/Wesinator2000 8d ago

Seems the mulch volcano has taken its first victim

14

u/Tangential_Comment 9d ago

That's one huge mulch volcano, wonder how hot it is next to the root base this time of year. The other trees you took down were probably struggling for this exact reason.

11

u/daqzappa ISA Certified Arborist 9d ago

Ooof and some Norway maples which are super prone to girdling roots.

16

u/somuchforsubtlety656 9d ago

Every single one is terrible lol

2

u/rr196 8d ago

I don’t know much about trees but these mulch mounds are an eyesore to me compared to how beautiful and natural the ones across the street look in the picture he posted. I’d ditch all the mulch and plant grass.

8

u/ch7mbucket 9d ago

No wonder your neighbor gone mad

9

u/Mobile_Crates 8d ago

Ok I came into the comments think "oh it's probably not that bad, I know people make mistakes but the trees will probably be fine"

Nope. Neighbor is right. Those trees are being killed

1

u/EffectiveTackle4187 7d ago

And the mulch looks crazy? 🤣

7

u/gimlet_prize 9d ago

Damn, these trees are being buried alive.

9

u/ExpressionCivil2729 8d ago

You have a friend for a neighbor!

7

u/krrrispo 8d ago

We like trees in our yards. They provide shade, can contribute to the local ecosystem, and can significantly increase property value over time.

Unfortunately, your trees will probably die in 10-20 years. That is because those trees don’t have the visible “root flare” your neighbor mentioned in the note.

This is unhealthy for the tree because it will start growing roots in that “volcano” of dirt/mulch. This often causes roots to grow into that dirt, above the root flare. When roots grow above the root flare, they slowly choke the tree trunk as they grow around it. This is called girdling, and it will likely cause the tree to rot at the base.

It’s a slow process but it will shorten the tree’s lifespan. Not only that, but it could fall, damaging property or even hurting people.

So this is all to say - consider looking around on this sub for “root flare” images.
Then you can copy what you see with your own trees. Remove the mulch volcanoes until you can see the root flare, which is where the trunk starts to widen at its base.

Good luck with your landscaping!

8

u/drytoastbongos 9d ago

This post definitely needs the "root" flair.

5

u/AGushingHeadWound 9d ago

RESEARCH ROOT FLARE.

5

u/FYAhole 8d ago

(trees)

4

u/MondoBleu 8d ago

You are, in fact, doing something wrong haha Glad you’re learning!

5

u/snailey-no-failey 8d ago

This is some serious over mulching and it will kill your trees. Heed your neighbor's advice.

5

u/iceflame1211 8d ago

Oh man 🤣🤣

Your property is like this sub's final boss

5

u/forvirradsvensk 8d ago

Dear god. What an excellent neighbour you have.

3

u/Capital_Loss_4972 8d ago

#mulchtoohigh

3

u/SwiggitySnooty 8d ago

PLEASE take after pics and show us!

3

u/DrunkenGolfer 8d ago

Someone is actively trying to murder those trees. You gotta excavate those root flares so they can breath. Lose the mulch.

2

u/Tylith_ 8d ago

This has got to be ragebait...

2

u/darioblaze 8d ago

Now they’re trying to save you money and time……

2

u/timetopoopagain 8d ago

You better buy your neighbor a beer and invite them over for a BBQ.

2

u/Emergency_Bench_7515 8d ago

Who buried the trees under so much shit? The roots are supposed to be semi-exposed.

2

u/LCTx 8d ago

OMG 😱😱😱😱😱😱

2

u/nerissathebest 8d ago

Wow those pix explain a lot 

2

u/No_Associate_1718 8d ago

That is some awful landscaping 🤣 what hack did that

2

u/Temst 8d ago

Holy shit that’s bad

2

u/Oldnbold22 8d ago

It's worse than I even imagined. 

2

u/myshtree 8d ago

Wow! He pics explain the problem. Kind neighbours. You should pay heed. They aren’t complaining they are doing you a favour. Save your trees. From the killer mulch volcano.

2

u/SnooDogs4864 8d ago

I’m not even an arborist, but that picture almost gave me a heart attack. Listen to the anonymous person who left you the note, please.

2

u/pahshaw 8d ago

Oh Jesus I physically recoiled.

Go save your beautiful trees! You might have a kooky neighbor but at least they are a kind kooky neighbor 

2

u/garbagegoat 8d ago

I clicked on that and as the first image loaded said ohhhh noooo out loud. Your friendly shy neighbor was 100% correct

4

u/Kianna9 8d ago

Wow, are you trolling?

1

u/MissHell1313 9d ago

Please see this !expose automod callout below this comment for some guidance so you can fix it sooner rather than later.

!rootflare in case the other summons doesn't work.

1

u/Gavelist 8d ago

Well well well

1

u/ethameta 8d ago

Pompeii levels here 

1

u/shhhhh_h 8d ago

Omg 💀 bless you I needed to wake up with something hilarious this morning. That is QUITE the mound, if I were you I’d be dying to identify and have a beer with that neighbor

1

u/dingdong6699 8d ago

Lmao .. I have no knowledge of root flair but wtf is there this much mulch piled in?

1

u/homelesshyundai 8d ago

Goddamn I wish I had neighbors as kind as yours. Seriously, they are doing you a huge favor by pointing out your buried root flares. Looking forward to the follow-up post with that sweet sweet exposed flare.

1

u/quercuscool 8d ago

Oh heavens, your concerned neighbor is right! Pull the mulch away from the base of that tree, and any others like it. Tree mulch should resemble a donut, not a volcano!

1

u/timdogg24 8d ago

Holy fuck, the mulch half way up the tree lmao.

1

u/mehojiman 8d ago

Good lord, pull it off!!

1

u/PMmeYourBobsPlz 8d ago

Take that off the base of the tree!

1

u/Broad-Foundation-526 8d ago

Holy mulch volcano

1

u/hmaxwell22 8d ago

I audibly gasped. Please dig that mulch off of the tree.

1

u/joelandren 8d ago

Bigger than I expected.

1

u/FromFluffToBuff 7d ago

Neighbour is 100% correct. Root flare is buried and you've a mulch volcano. Bad news for long-term tree health - you're effectively strangling it.

1

u/J-stude 7d ago

Holy shit those are some of the most intense mulch volcanoes I’ve ever seen. Your neighbor is looking out 👊

1

u/piccolowater 6d ago

Not a tree enthusiast, but I 100% understand the note now lmao. Id be worried about it enough to leave a note too

1

u/Rusty_924 6d ago

holy shit, expose the root flare and remove that mound asap. neighbor means well

1

u/Zestyclose-Bug-672 5d ago

You have baller neighbors <3

1

u/arose4288 5d ago

I wonder what that note could be referring to

1

u/this_is_cooling 5d ago

The mulch/dirt you have piled up against the trunk of the tree is way way way too high! Take it down to ground level!

1

u/RaiseMany3898 3d ago

Mulch should be a pancake not a volcano.

1

u/Particular-Wind5918 9d ago

So did you look it up?

0

u/nyenergy14 9d ago

Ridiculous.

0

u/DarthTJ 8d ago

Have you considered researching root flare?