To Mulch or Not To Mulch

Mulch around trees provides a stable root environment that is cool and moist. Mulch protects the trunk and roots from lawn mowers and weed whackers, and it reduces competition for water from weeds and turf.

The Mt. Vernon Green Waste Recycling Facility, owned and operated by the City of Bakersfield, is the third largest in California, manufacturing two kinds of mulch which can be purchased for under $14 per cubic yard (27 cubic feet.) Compost and mulch are byproducts of green waste recycling which not only reduce landfill mass by 40% but also enhance the health of trees, shrubs and flowers, and best of all, retard weeds. The Mt. Vernon facility diverts 75,000 tons of waste annually from our landfill and recycles it into valuable soil amendments.