Mulching season is in full swing every spring. We give the yearling trees a thick layer of mulch. Our orchards are organic, so taking care of a single tree is a multistep process. We cannot simply spray the base with fertilizers and chemicals to make the weeds disappear. We first scalp the area around the base of the tree using a hoe to remove all the grass. We place a tree protector around the small tree to protect is from sunburn, wildlife and pests. We then apply gravel around the base of the tree protector for weed and critter control. After that we give the tree a generous helping of mulch. Our mulch blend is typically wood chips with some manure, hard woods are preferred because they break down slower. The mulch helps to fertilize and feed the tree while keeping the weeds and grass from growing back. Mulch also locks in moisture to be called upon during the dry summer months. We mulch in the spring while there is plenty of moisture to collect. We repeat this process yearly until the tree is larger and doesn’t need as much support. One down, a thousand to go!