Young trees suffer from root shock when they are transplanted and need a lot of care in their first few years of life. Weeds around the base need to be removed regularly, either by using appropriate herbicides, hand weeding, or careful strimming. They also need to be regularly watered. Our square jute mulch mats make this a whole lot easier, saving time, money and chemicals. Our square jute mulch mats simply slot around the base of the young tree, suffocating weeds and retaining water. They also protect the delicate roots from extreme temperature fluctuations. They are 5mm thick so are quite robust, especially once they’ve got some water soaked into them, and last around a year before they slowly biodegrade into the soil.
What are the benefits of using square mulch mats for young trees?
According to horticultural expert Don Kinzler, “if grass is allowed to compete with a tree, the tree will grow slower in both height and trunk diameter compared to a tree grown in bare soil. If you add mulch over the bare soil, the tree’s rate of growth increases compared to both bare soil and grass. This is so important it merits restating. Trees growing in grass have the slowest increase in height and trunk diameter. Trees in bare soil grow next best, and trees with mulch over the root zone have the greatest rate of growth” Read more about it here.
Do the mulch mats need to be pegged down?
Unlike polypropylene mulch mats, the mulch mats tend to sit firmly on the soil without needing to be pegged out. You may find with the square ones that the corners lift a little before they embed in, in which case we recommend pegging them down with bamboo skewers.
Is there an issue with the square jute mulch mats tree spinning in the wind, creating bark damage?
No. The 5mm thick mulch mats are quite heavy, and will stay put, even in windy conditions. We've used them in extremely windy locations in Cumbria without any problem. However that's because they stay wet most of the time. If you're using them somewhere where it's very dry, you may wish to secure them with pegs to be on the safe side. We've never had any issues reported to us though.
Do you do discounts on larger volume orders?
Yes! We like orders of 1000+ mulch mats! Our discounts start at 100 mats so contact us for a quote at info@chimneysheep.co.uk
What's the difference between a round one and a square mulch mat?
The round ones tend to look a bit neater around the base of trees. The square jute mulch mats give you more mulch for your money and if you do want to peg them out they are better suited to being pegged. It's all a matter of preference really, they both do a good job!
