Covering Exposed Maple Roots: To Mulch or Not?

Managing Surface Roots of a Maple Tree

Exposed maple roots are natural and not harmful. Covering them is optional and usually temporary—roots will re-emerge.

Options

• Leave them: Many gardeners appreciate the aesthetic; Japanese gardens feature them intentionally.
• Prune a few: Cutting a small number of surface roots periodically doesn't harm a mature tree.
• Add soil: ½ inch of topsoil is fine. Warm-season grasses (Bermuda) will spread over it; cool-season grasses need reseeding.
• Deep-water the tree: Use a deep-root watering tool to encourage deeper roots, reducing surface rooting over time.

Grass Consideration

If you add soil and have cool-season grass (fescue, bluegrass), you must reseed the covered area. Shade-tolerant tall fescue is a good choice for under trees.

Roots are a symptom of shallow watering—address the cause, not just the symptom.