I don't have any first-hand experience with this product, but I'd be willing to bet quite a bit that, after the first year, little seedlings would be popping out of these like crazy, and, if you have Bermuda or other creeping grass, that would probably grow over the mats, bury their roots through the mat, and require removal of the entire mat to eradicate the vegetation. It seems to me that shredded mulch would be a far better alternative.

I think they look unnatural and it's a waste of money. A bag of mulch for $2 can do a circle just like that and last for 2 years. It would take a good 15 years before that mulch ring started to pay for itself. I doubt it would last 15 years.

Plus the diameter is to small... it may be ok on a 8' x 4' tree... but on something that's 30' tall x 20' wide? On all of my larger trees I have a good 6' diameter mulch ring. As the trees get larger, so do the mulch rings.

A 30' tree is well beyond the coddling stage. Tools like mulch mats are for getting trees started.

I've used the rubber thingy for the first few months, the transition when you take the rubber off is slightly stressful as the roots in the cool season tend to come close to the surface when they are under the rubber thingy. Then those fine feeder roots die in the heat. For several weeks at least, the rubber thingy does seem to have some advantages with a new transplant, like weed supression if your orignal backfill soil is full of seeds. It doesn't appear to have long term overall benefits though, with understanding it's ultimate weakness the development, eventually, of girdling, circling, confused roots. Prophylactic latex was made for humans. Catholic wife says tires,only. It's a good idea of insulating the top of the root ball upon initial planting but at sometime it encourages roots to not move outward which is a primary, fundamental goal for a stabile and healthy tree.

Doesn't the price of those things bother you?

Ok ok, you guys win :) I only ask because I hate edging around the edge of a "real" mulch ring where the lawn invades. The trimmer kicks up loose mulch and I have to put them back in place. That's all. Thanks.

How high do you have your mulch rings? I gradually slope mine down towards the grass so I can go over it with the riding mower. I've never had to trim around each tree.

It's my understanding cocoa fiber can be toxic to dogs, in case you're got a chewer on the premises.

"It doesn't appear to have long term overall benefits though, with understanding it's ultimate weakness the development, eventually, of girdling, circling, confused roots. "

Interesting! Are you reporting from personal experience, first hand reports & reading this somewhere? It's the first I've heard of it, and I'm using some rubber tree rings this year to keep the mower & weed eater well away, so I'd like to get specifics since girdling roots are bad news.

Richard.

If it is too comfortable for a tree right around the trunk as compared to the outer soil, it's roots will hang around the base after it is planted. The roots don't spread out in time properly and begin to compete with each other. I've seen this over and over again by temporarily removing the mulch and some soil of folk's trees. The typical environment for an urban tree is a small mulched area sourrounded by compacted soil. Cutting edge tree planting and irrigation technique addresses and recognizes how to effect superior root development on several fronts, including the radical proposal not to mulch the top of the root ball at all. The area around the base of the tree should be a little less comfortable, and not more comfortable, than the outer soil in order for the roots to rapidly head away from the tree, that is where you see the geometrical increase in uptake from the soil, rather than the common slufgest of increasing and competing root mass within a confined area. Btw, gotta jug of Mississippi Madness and some kudzu tea so that's about as cogent as it's gonna get ferawhile...Gday mate...

Thanks. That also covers the related question of whether by your thinking a mulch bed would also have this impact.

Mulching is pretty recommended on the forum. Be interesting to see what some of the gurus think on this.

Richard.

So what's your opinion of such a product?

==>> invest in good mulch .. and quit dreaming of some panacea ..

really now ... 50 cents in mulch or this over-hyped thing ... crimminey you are making the simple.. awful complicated ...

but dont get me wrong.. IF IT MAKES YOU HAPPY.. i will be happy ....

just dont use that landscape fabric from the other post ...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link