How to properly mulch around a tree

[Marmocet]

Another thing - unless they've been planted bare-root, trees, especially young ones, almost never need to be staked, and in fact generally should not be staked. Staking encourages trees to develop trunks and root systems that are too narrow and crowns that make the tree too top-heavy (because of a growth response called thigmomorphogenesis). Staked trees tend to become unstable and blow over. Staking also tends to be a bad idea because wires and ties are left on too long and girdle the trunk.

[Marmocet]

Ok, so those trees still have way, way too much mulch around them. To get some idea how deep mulch should be, take a look at trees in a forest. Leaf litter will usually be no more than 1 to 2 inches deep. That's just how trees like it. And in fact, trees prefer their own leaf litter to wood mulches, so feel free to use that instead. (It won't blow around once it has been given a good soaking, but if you're worried, shred the leaves a bit first.)

[velnatarajan]

They forgot to emphasize that the root-flare should be showing. Some people may follow this video, but not know about exposing the flare. (Still giving it the "stick out of the ground" look). When the trees are originally planted too deep, you need to pull away the soil/mulch until the root-flare shows. Sometimes this is below the soil-line.

[lumpofloight]

@velnatarajan sometimes when you go to dig down to the root flare of a tree whose base has been buried for awhile, there's even (smaller) roots coming out of the base of the trunk already. Pople should know to go all the way down to the real root flare, where the whole thing widens and some real main roots can be seen...

[cherrydarlinglmz]

Well said.

[kub73158]

Well done; exposing the idiotic "volcano" practice.