Mulching trees in containers

[new gardener 1052]

Morning all.. I always mulch my trees but don't really understand why we do it. I've always done it just because I've been told it's the thing to do..... But why?

I always normally use cheap wood chipping from such as aldi. Some people use stones
Are they pros & cons of each?

Sorry if this is a silly question I'm still quite new and just a early morning thought.

Hope you all have a great day
Steve.

[Bigmallly]

Heyup Steve, mulching in pots is usually done to conserve moisture. Wood chippings will absorb moisture from the air & release it into the soil. No matter what the weather is, if you lift a stone it is usually moist underneath. Mulching on beds also acts as a weed suppressant.

[new gardener 1052]

Hey up bigmallly, thanks for your reply, is there a chance using wood chips could cause a problem to a tree?

[Muddy_Boots]

I might be wrong here but I only think there's a problem with some wood chip if you don't know what type of wood it contains.

Many people who are flagging down tree services don’t know what types of trees are chipped up and needing dumped and some trees are anything but ph neutral. You need to be aware that some mulches can have an adverse affect on soil acidity. Also unless you are 100% certain what trees are in your wood mulch, you might inadvertently kill your tomatoes. I would say buying from a garden centre or muti like B&Q should be less risky.

I have a pile of wood chippings in my back garden from a Hawthorn and Ash tree I've had removed so I'm certain those will be safe to use as mulch or as weed suppressant.

[new gardener 1052]

I might be wrong here but I only think there's a problem with some wood chip if you don't know what type of wood it contains.

Many people who are flagging down tree services don’t know what types of trees are chipped up and needing dumped and some trees are anything but ph neutral. You need to be aware that some mulches can have an adverse affect on soil acidity. Also unless you are 100% certain what trees are in your wood mulch, you might inadvertently kill your tomatoes. I would say buying from a garden centre or muti like B&Q should be less risky.

I have a pile of wood chippings in my back garden from a Hawthorn and Ash tree I've had removed so I'm certain those will be safe to use as mulch or as weed suppressant.

Hi and thanks for your reply. I'm having second thoughts of using cheap stuff who knows what problem trees might have been chopped down hacked up and sold on has wood chippings.