Gardeners and tree lovers take note—there's more to mulching than meets the eye, and the Arlington Parks and Recreation Department (APRD) has shed some light on the proper techniques to ensure your leafy friends remain robust. As explained by Wendy Pappas, APRD's Urban Forestry Land Manager, a proper mulch job can do wonders; it isn't just for looks, mulch adds essential nutrients to the soil and helps prevent damage from lawn maintenance gear, according to the City of Arlington, Texas.

However, too much of a good thing like mulch can ironically suffocate your trees, blocking vital oxygen from the roots and leading to detrimental consequences, Pappas cautions. Equally harmful is the dreaded "volcano mulching", which piles mulch high against a tree’s trunk creating a habitat for rot and fungus that can signal a death knell for the tree.

For those eager to practice proper mulching, APRD's guide points out that it's vital to first locate the tree’s root flare, with the advisory that grass and debris should be cleared from the trunk's base to prevent moisture buildup and disease. Mulch should be applied a few inches from the trunk and no deeper than 3 inches, stretching it out to the drip line for smaller trees to create a protective zone from mowers and trimmers.

And for the love of all that is green, hold off on frequent mulching—once properly laid, mulch only needs a refresh when it appears thin or the soil becomes visible which might only be necessary every few years; if the existing mulch looks a bit sad and compressed, just fluff it up with a rake rather than piling up fresh layers, as stated by APRD's guidance.