"Oh my God, THE ROOT FLARE!!" Homeowner panics after seemingly harmless landscaping job backfires: 'One of the best ways to kill a tree' first appeared on The Cool Down.

The smell of spring is in the air in Greater Columbus — not the smell of hyacinths or daffodils, but the smell of freshly applied hardwood mulch around trees and shrubs and other perennial plants.

Using mulch around trees and landscape plantings keeps grass from competing with them for resources. A good mulch layer also helps reduce the impact of raindrops on soil in your gardens and the ...