‘An epidemic in landscaping’: Expert shares why a new landscaping trend is devastating for trees

It’s bad for trees and a waste of money.

By

Erik Barnes

Aug 26, 2025

By Erik Barnes

August 26, 2025

Add to Google News

Are you adding too much mulch? – Photo credit: Canva

Many homeowners with yards have trees and want to keep them healthy, growing, and beautiful. It’s not just for aesthetics, but to also provide quality shade, a boost of oxygen, and, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, provide a cooler and greener environment for you and your neighbors. One of the things many tree owners know is that a layer of mulch can help the tree stay healthy. However, experts are saying that a recent trend is providing too much of a good thing.

More and more landscaping experts are seeing “mulch volcanoes” piled up around the base of tree trunks in yards, and it’s not as helpful as a person might think. While placing mulch around trees is healthy and recommended to help retain moisture, shy away weeds, and protect the roots from extreme heat, piling mulch high and too close to the trunk can actually hurt it—or even kill it.

@mono_wai
just say no, to tree volcanoes!@Adam ?️ #wildlife #fypシ #foryou #conservation #outdoorlife #naturebasedsolutions #Nature #landscape ♬ original sound – Adam ?️

The issue, according to experts, is that piling the mulch too close to the tree’s base will attract the roots closer to the trunk rather than flaring out into the ground to find nutrients, as the mulch will likely be the closest, most nutrient-rich source. This can cause the tree to essentially strangle itself, a process known as “girdling.” On top of that, having too much mulch against the trunk of the tree can rot the bark, compromising the tree’s vascular system and inviting pests that thrive in that rotting moisture.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Treekeepers | Mature Tree Nursery (@treekeepers)

This isn’t just a problem for the tree, but for homeowners’ wallets. Not only are people spending too much money on more mulch than they need, they end up spending more on water since the mountain of mulch could absorb most of it before it reaches the tree itself. All of that money spent would lead to further expense because, if the tree dies, they would have to pay to get the now-dead tree removed and replaced. Essentially, the homeowner isn’t just literally killing their tree with good intentions and kindness, but putting themselves at a great financial risk in environmental losses.

@theplanttechie
What else do you want to know about landscape or fruit trees! ? ? Let’s talk about mulching—because doing it wrong can hurt your trees more than help. ❌ Volcano mulch—piling mulch against the trunk—can trap moisture, invite pests,create girdling roots and cause rot. ✅ Donut mulch—a ring around the tree with space at the base—keeps roots happy and healthy! It funnels water, keeps feeder roots covered and gives the root flare room to breathe. Here’s how to do it right: ? Mulch to the drip line for maximum root coverage. ? Keep it away from the trunk to prevent rot and pests. ? Keep it 2–3 inches deep—too much can suffocate roots. ?Post your mulch madness stories in the comments below ?. #treecare #gardeningtips #mulching #fruitgrowers #soilhealth #backyardorchard #organicgardening #permaculture #gardeninghacks ♬ original sound – Uncle Josh Gardens

Landscapers recommend surrounding your tree with only two-to-three inches of mulch, and to keep it shallow so the tree gets the benefits of the mulch without the chance of rot. It’s recommended to “think donut, not volcano” in terms of mulch distribution so that the roots are encouraged to venture outward rather than clog up near the tree’s trunk to seek the mulch. As a side tip, a person can save money by buying less bags of mulch and using grass clippings, plants already growing in your yard, and compost as effective mulch rather than spending more at the garden center.

Whether it’s to create a beautiful yard for you and your family to enjoy or to contribute to environmental causes, it’s good to know how to best take care of your trees and vegetation. Like most things, trees can become great and majestic when they’re given plenty of time, care, and space to grow, and not accidentally smothered by good intentions.

Add to Google News

More for You

Left: Mushrooms. Right: A model dressed in a leather jacket. – Photo credit: Canva

Environment, Science

Scientists have created a leather clothing alternative made entirely from mushrooms that looks and feels like the real thing

They can grow the material in a matter of days.

Mark Wales

3/2/2026

Austria’s scientists have created a leather made from mycelium. Growing mushrooms in low-oxygen chambers allows researchers to craft an alternative material that feels and looks like traditional leather. The finished textile is strong, flexible, and even fire-resistant.

Manufacturers grow the material instead of harvesting it from animals. After it reaches the desired thickness, they apply non-toxic enzymes to keep it fully biodegradable. The vegetative part of the fungus grows into a dense mat over a matter of days. Above all, it avoids the environmental impact of traditional leather production.

View this post on Instagram

Alternative leather made from mushrooms

This is not science fiction; fungal fabric has grown from a curiosity into reality. A 2025 report listed the benefits of mushroom leather as having a lower carbon footprint. It begins with a substantial reduction in water use. Growing mushrooms, compared to raising cattle, requires a fraction of the water.

Secondly, the product breaks down naturally without microplastic contamination. Using enzymes that cross-link the fibers results in a material free of blended toxic materials.

Moreover, by creating the right environment—a low-oxygen chamber with a nutrient-rich substrate—the mushroom mat can be grown in a matter of days.

Lastly, mushroom leather is naturally fire-resistant. There’s no need for harmful chemicals to treat the textile. In addition, clean up requires mild soap and lukewarm water.

A 2026 study in ScienceDirect confirmed the fungal mycelium as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional and synthetic leathers. It demonstrates structural integrity and favorable thermal stability.

Mushroom leather.
Photo credit: ThamaraGroenleer/ Wikimedia Commons

Is the public ready for vegan leather?

People have conflicting thoughts, as seen in the comments on the Instagram post. Some individuals are excited and encouraged by the possibilities. Others, however, are less impressed:

“I’m ready for it. How do we buy it?”

“Make it affordable and common!”

“As long as the final product keeps being painted and coated with chemicals, the purpose of the product is merely green washing.”

“bio degradable? sorry your shoes were eaten by mold after the rain.”

“Where we can buy this leather?”

“Unless we’re talking about aprons/gloves for welders or blacksmiths (which is a fairly niche market), flammability isn’t something most people that wear leather are concerned about.”

Materials and scissors.
Photo credit: Canva

Fashion looks for sustainable, yet affordable materials

Fashion leaders are looking to incorporate more sustainable fabrics into their creations. A 2025 post on Open Forem explored material choices for leading industry fashion designers in 2025. For example, more familiar textiles like polyester, organic cotton, and wool made their traditional rounds. But there was an effort to use plant-based leathers, too.

Mushroom mycelium leather was a hot choice for its low environmental impact, its short creation time, and its customizable texture and thickness.

Other exotic materials included banana fibers, seaweed-based fabrics, and Piñatex, a natural, low-impact textile made from pineapple leaf fibre. Designers fashion the plant-based material into vegan handbags, shoes, and wallets.

A 2026 article in Vogue revealed that Gucci seeks more sustainable ways to produce leather products. The luxury brand began a campaign for vegan alternative leather back in 2021.

Despite commercial adoption remaining somewhat limited, mushroom leather continues to attract attention for its eco-friendly production and versatility. Grown on agricultural waste while remaining fully biodegradable are cornerstones of this remarkable material.

You can watch this TED Talk on fashion made from mushrooms:

Keep Reading →
Shrimp shells could become our new plastic. – Photo credit: Canva

Environment, Science

Scientists create environmentally friendly plastic replacement from shrimp shells

It gets 50% stronger when submerged in water.

Erik Barnes

2/24/2026

Plastic waste has been a growing global issue for years. The United Nations Environment Programme says that 19 to 23 million metric tonnes of plastic waste leaks into lakes, rivers, and oceans each year. Given the threat microplastics pose to animal and human health, efforts to find green replacements have intensified—and they’re working. Scientists from Singapore and Spain have found a strong, potentially viable replacement for plastic made from shrimp shells.

A research team based at the Singapore University of Technology and Design and the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia in Barcelona has made a biodegradable plastic alternative out of chitosan. Chitosan is a compound created by combining shrimp shells with trace amounts of nickel. It contains a structural molecule found in the shells of crustaceans and insect exoskeletons. Usually discarded as a waste byproduct of shrimp and crab processing, chitosan is commonly produced during seafood preparation and commercial fishing.

The issue with chitosan, though, was that it weakens and dissolves in water. That is, until recently.

How chitosan got stronger

Dissolving chitosan flakes into a weak acetic solution and mixing them with dissolved nickel chloride and water produced surprising results. Scientists then poured the mixture into molds to dry. The process yields a thin, green-tinted film with the strength of commonly used plastics like polypropylene. Even better, when submerged in water, the film grows 50% stronger. This increased durability matches the characteristics of polycarbonate and PETG, plastics commonly used in commercial single-use water bottles.

Researchers then stress-tested the chitosan material by molding it into cups and containers. They were able to confirm it could hold water without leaks. In terms of biodegradability, the chitosan material reached its half-life in four months in a standard soil burial test. By contrast, most commercial plastics can take centuries to decompose under similar conditions.

Researchers found that this is not only a better biodegradable plastic alternative, but also one that produces zero waste during creation. When the chitosan/nickel film is submerged, about 87% of the nickel washes out. That wash water can then be reused again and again from one batch of chitosan to the next. According to the researchers, the nickel content of a single AAA battery would provide enough nickel to manufacture more than a dozen chitosan drinking cups.

The potential future

Rigorous testing to assess the material’s limits for medical use and consumption still needs to be done. That said, the Food and Drug Administration has already approved products containing chitosan and nickel individually in the past. Barring any troubling research about their combined safety, the outlook is quite positive for future use.

Hopefully, seafood and battery waste can be reduced, helping lower plastic waste in a three-way win for the environment.

Keep Reading →
A bamboo forest. – Photo credit: Photo credit Canva

Environment

Plastic pollution is a global mess and bamboo could be our way to dig out of it

Eco-friendly materials that are actually affordable and sustainable.

Mark Wales

2/12/2026

Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental issues we face today. Conventional plastics are hard to replace because of their durability and low-cost production. Scientists are turning to nature to find new solutions.
Researchers in China have developed a plastic created from bamboo. It maintains the strength and versatility of traditional plastics without producing the toxic byproducts. This fast-growing, renewable plant is a promising option for making eco-friendly, affordable, recyclable, and biodegradable materials.

View this post on Instagram

Biodegradable bamboo plastic
Scientists from Northeast Forestry University have developed a remarkable two-step method transforming bamboo into a reliable plastic. First, they combined bamboo cellulose with a solvent made from zinc chloride and formic acid. The process makes the bamboo flexible. Secondly, they soaked this bamboo gel in ethanol. The gel then formed into a dense material known as bamboo molecular plastic, or BM-plastic.
Using widely available chemicals at room temperature, the process produces no toxic byproducts, making for a cleaner approach to plastic production. This bamboo bioplastic is durable and still performs well for everyday plastic uses without losing performance. The 2025 study in Nature Communications reported that the eco-friendly plastic bends without snapping and is five times harder than ABS or PLA industrial plastics.
Unlike traditional plastics, BM-plastic can be recycled or biodegrade naturally. When discarded in soil, it fully breaks down within 50 days. Or, the plastic can be redissolved back into a mix, reused, and retain 90% of its original strength.

Plastic littered beach and bamboo. Photo credit Canva

BM-plastic is versatile and sustainable
A 2025 study in MDPI highlights bamboo as one of the fastest-growing plants that are ecologically adaptable, rapidly renewable, soil-stabilizing, and have expanded industrial uses in construction and bioenergy. A 2025 study in Science Direct reported a short harvest cycle of 3-5 years compared to hardwoods, its adaptability to varied growing conditions, and a lower need for pesticides and fertilizers.
Another great benefit from using BM-plastic is that it can be used in machines already creating plastic products. Injection molds can shape the plastic even for things like lampshades, decorative packaging, and gears. The durability suggests BM-plastic could replace conventional plastics used in construction, electronics, and cars. Testing revealed that after 7 days at 100 degrees Celsius, the temperature at which water boils, it showed no cracks. Strong acids didn’t damage the surface, as it remained unaffected.

Field of bamboo. Photo credit Canva

Eco-friendly and affordable
A Global Bamboo Resource Report in 2024 compiled data from governments and policymakers, revealing plantation statistics from 68 countries. It showed sustainable land-use and reliable economic development from bamboo cultivation. Grow Billion Trees reviewed bamboo farming economics that showed low establishment costs relative to traditional timber crops, fast rotation cycles, and emerging markets.
Eco-friendly resources often fail because of the high cost of production and sustainability. Analysis of BM-plastic has a production cost of about $2300 per ton. Electricity costs are minimal because the creation process occurs at room temperature. A 2025 study in Science Direct revealed that petroleum-based plastics cost about $1,200 per ton. However, the Pew Charitable Trusts suggests the damage to health and climate could raise that level to as much as $2,400 per ton by 2040.

Handing an Earth painted ball to a child. Photo credit Canva

New inventions like bamboo plastic might be one of many necessary solutions to a pressing need for more eco-friendly and affordable production. Biodegradable, recyclable, and sustainable plastics could change the landscape for electronics, construction, and packaging. If scientific advances can create more tools to reduce pollution, future generations still might inherit a habitable planet.

Keep Reading →