The Best Mulch for Trees: 5 Types to Try in Your Yard

Whether it’s a beloved ornamental tree that’s the centerpiece of your yard or a stately native species that seems like it’s been around longer than your house, trees need soil with a good balance of nutrients, air, and water in order to stay healthy and strong. That’s where mulch comes in. Regular mulching benefits the soil by activating microbes, managing weeds, controlling temperature, and regulating moisture levels. But with so many types of mulch available at gardening centers and home improvement stores, it can be difficult to narrow down your options. Below, we’ve rounded up five types of mulch known to support the health of a wide variety of trees.

1. Plant Matter from Your Yard

It turns out the best mulch for your trees is the kind that’s already lying on the ground. Plant material like twigs, leaves, buds, flowers, and bark found on your property can be reused to serve as mulch around a tree. As these materials break down, they release vital nutrients into the soil.

After foraging around your yard for materials, apply them in a 4- to 6-inch layer around the tree. Creating a thick mat like this will help retain moisture in the soil, and it also helps keep the mulch from blowing away in the wind. Leave a few inches of space between the trunk of the tree and the mulch, and extend the layer out to the tree’s drip line.

2. Wood Chips

If you have a lot of trees on your property or don’t have time to go foraging for DIY mulch, wood chips are an excellent option. This type of mulch is made from parts of a tree, including leaves, bark, branches, and trunks, that have gone through a wood chipper. The chips lock together to form a barrier that helps control weeds while regulating moisture levels and protecting tree roots from extreme temperatures. They also provide excellent nutrition for your tree over a long period of time.  A local mulch company or arborist can source wood chips for you.

3. Bark Mulch

Also known as bark nuggets, this type of mulch comes in bags and is readily available at gardening centers or home improvement stores. Made of tree bark, the nuggets come in various sizes. They’re long-lasting and effective at retaining moisture and blocking weeds, but they also float in water, so they’re prone to washing away during heavy rainstorms.

4. Cardboard

Believe it or not, unwaxed cardboard is another effective form of mulch that can enhance the vitality of your trees. (Cardboard is made of trees, after all.) When it’s free from staples or plastic, cardboard can be layered underneath wood chips to help inhibit weed growth and enrich the soil once it’s broken down. To make sure it breaks down well, soak the soil first, then soak each layer of cardboard.

5. Pine Needles

Also known as pine straw, this type of mulch is lightweight but also interlocks over time, making it a good choice for insulating the tree and its roots from extreme temperatures and harsh weather—both in winter and summer. Pine needles also help the soil retain water, although they’re not as effective at suppressing weed growth.