I heaped bark mulch right up against my young apple trunks just to keep the weeds down: when the snow pulled back in March, what was missing at the base wasn’t the mulch
Gardeners who carefully mulch their young apple trees for winter protection often unwittingly create a five-star shelter for voles. By March, the bark at the base of the trunk may be completely stripped away—but the mulch itself isn’t the villain. The real culprit is where and how it’s piled.