6 Ways Organic Mulch Can Solve Typical Tree and Landscaping Problems in Northern Virginia

Northern Virginia’s climate puts your trees and landscape to the test – hot, dry summers, cold winters, and unpredictable temperature swings can all take a toll. But one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect your yard year-round is with organic mulch. More than just a finishing touch, materials like wood chips offer powerful benefits for tree health, soil moisture, and overall landscape resilience.

Key Takeaways:

• Organic mulch helps trees survive drought by preventing water evaporation and reducing the need for supplemental watering.
• Mulch prevents soil compaction and waterlogging in Northern Virginia’s clay soils by acting as a protective barrier that softens the impact of heavy rainfall.
• Beyond its practical benefits, mulch improves landscape aesthetics and reduces weed growth by blocking sunlight from reaching weed seeds.
• Wood chips help prevent soil erosion (a major concern in Northern Virginia) by protecting the ground from direct rainfall impact.
• As a natural insulator, mulch protects tree roots from Northern Virginia’s extreme temperature fluctuations, keeping soil cooler in summer and warmer in winter while also adding nutrients to the soil as it decomposes.

6 Tree and Landscaping Problems Organic Mulch Helps With

While mulch can’t solve all your landscaping problems, it can provide solutions to many common issues in Northern Virginia. Better yet, it can prevent some of these problems from happening in the first place.

1. Drought is Killing My Trees

Droughts are a common occurrence in Fairfax County. In 2024, most of Fairfax County dealt with drought or abnormally dry conditions beginning in the summer. The situation worsened into the fall, leading the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments to declare a drought watch in Fairfax County that lasted through the fall and winter.

Mulch can’t make it rain or stop a drought from happening, but it can limit its impact on your trees. A bed of wood chips acts as a blanket that prevents direct sunlight from hitting the soil. This lowers the risk of any available water evaporating during the day. You’ll need to provide less supplemental water during a drought than you would if your trees didn’t have organic mulch around them.

WARNING: While providing supplemental water during a drought is good, too much hydration can cause problems. Check out our previous article to learn how to avoid overwatering your trees.

2. My Soil is Compacted and Waterlogged After a Storm

Fairfax County has a wide range of soil types and textures, but the most notoriously difficult one to work with is marine clay. This soil, like all clay ones, has a few drawbacks, including its tendency to become compacted.

Compacted soil limits a tree’s ability to access water and nutrients from the ground and can lead to a tree dying or struggling to grow. Foot traffic is often a common cause of compaction, but heavy rainfall during a storm also contributes to the problem.

Mulch acts as a shield for the ground that prevents rain from directly hitting it. The rain will instead impact the wood chips and slowly move through them until reaching the ground. Without the force of the rain hitting the ground, it’s less likely for your clay soil to end up compacted.

Some of the water won’t make it to the soil either; instead, it gets absorbed into the mulch. This prevents excessive water from reaching the ground and causing it to become waterlogged.

3. My Landscape Doesn’t Look as Nice as I’d Like

Landscaping can be a lot of work and sometimes doesn’t produce the desired results. If you’ve ever looked at your landscape and thought it could use a little extra flair or you noticed too many weeds, mulch is a simple solution to the problem.

“A lot of homeowners kind of forget about mulch, or they put it off when landscaping. It’s a critical piece of landscaping, though, as mulch around trees or in your flowerbeds really adds a pop to your yard. And not only that, but it reduces the weeds you’ll have, something that I think everybody can get behind.” – Brad Porter, Landscape Operations Manager at Riverbend

Mulch blocking sunlight doesn’t just help with water retention, it also suppresses weeds. Without adequate sunshine, many weeds won’t be able to grow around your trees or in your flowerbeds. It won’t prevent every weed from sprouting up, but it will reduce the weeding you’ll have to do each year.

4. I’m Worried About Soil Erosion

Soil erosion is a serious concern in Northern Virginia – not only because it can pollute nearby rivers and streams, but also because it undermines the health of your trees and landscape. When topsoil washes away, trees lose access to vital nutrients, root systems can become exposed or destabilized, and overall moisture retention in the soil drops.

Fairfax County even requires a land disturbance permit for some projects because erosion can be so damaging.

However, studies show that organic mulch, like wood chips, is a simple and highly effective tool to reduce erosion. It protects the soil from direct rainfall, minimizes runoff, and holds moisture where it’s needed. Compared to synthetic mulches, organic materials perform better at buffering rainfall and allowing water to soak in slowly—helping both the environment and your trees thrive.

5. My Trees Appear Stunted and Aren’t Growing Enough

When trees show stunted growth or discoloration, it could be a sign of a nutrient deficiency.

“In a forest, fallen leaves and branches break down naturally, returning nutrients to the soil in a continuous cycle. But in a typical yard—where we rake everything up each fall—that cycle gets interrupted. Mulch helps restore that natural process. It’s a simple, low-effort solution we always recommend because it makes a big difference over time.” – Peter Hart, Board Certified Master Arborist at Riverbend

Placing wood chips or other organic mulch around your trees can reduce the need for fertilizer and lead to them becoming healthier. We recommend spreading mulch right after you plant a tree to help it begin its life.

Despite persistent rumors, mulch does not draw out nitrogen from the soil. The opposite is true, as wood chips will eventually increase nitrogen levels as they decompose.

6. Temperature Fluctuations Are Harming My Trees and Plants

Temperature fluctuations are tough on us, but they are even harder for your trees. The weather in our area can fluctuate wildly and reach extremes.

In the summer of 2024, Fairfax County saw record-breaking heat, with temperatures reaching triple digits on July 16. The following winter wasn’t much better, as extreme temperatures below 0 degrees closed schools and stressed trees.

These extreme temperatures can harm roots, potentially killing some of them and leaving your tree stressed. To help protect them, use a thin layer of mulch around your tree.

Mulch acts as a blanket that insulates the ground from extreme weather. In the summer, it keeps the ground cooler and more conducive to root growth. Conversely, in the winter, it keeps the ground warm enough to avoid killing roots when the temperatures begin to drop below freezing.

Frequently Asked Questions About Mulch

Wood chips and other organic mulch may seem like simple things, but they can be quite complicated to understand their impact on your yard fully. To help you appreciate it, we’ve compiled some common questions to leave you more informed.

When should I place mulch around my trees and in my flower beds?

We recommend adding mulch and checking it twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. Check existing wood chips to see if they have decomposed enough to need refreshing. Mulch should be between two and four inches deep and shouldn’t touch the trunk.

Should I remove old mulch before I place new mulch down?

No, there is no need to pull up existing wood chips from your property before applying new mulch. The old wood chips will be the first to decompose and add nutrients back into the soil.

How far should the mulch extend under the tree for maximum benefits?

For maximum benefits, we recommend putting down mulch in the area under the tree’s canopy. Of course, this might not always be feasible, so we recommend putting it out as far as possible.

How often should I refresh the mulch around my trees?

You should give your trees new wood chips whenever the current supply has begun to dwindle. Over-mulching will smother the roots, so ensure you never exceed four inches of depth.

Let Riverbend Help You Get the Most Out of Mulch

Mulch offers serious benefits – but only when it’s applied correctly. From proper depth and placement to choosing the right type of wood chips, getting it right takes time and expertise.

At Riverbend, we handle mulch installation with care, balancing function and visual appeal to support healthy trees and a beautiful landscape. Whether you’re looking to prevent erosion, conserve moisture, or simply enhance curb appeal, we’re here to help. Call us today at 703-402-9366 or request an estimate online.