Is mulch good or bad? The right mulch applied in the right manner can be beneficial to your trees. However, too often in the spring “tree moats” and “mulch volcanoes” appear, causing the trees to slowly die. “The Six-Step Assisted Herbicide Program” described in this article from OSU, shows the 6 signs your tree is being slowly killed by these two common springtime activities, and what you can do to help save your trees before it is too late. Well worth a read.