Originally Posted by FishinRod
J.E. (and others),

I must be missing something.

I put mulch down around my new tree plantings to PREVENT grass and weeds from emerging from that soil.

I understand how mulch would help in the long term to improve low-productivity soils. I don't understand how we would use it short term to help establish vegetation?

Talking straw mulch like some do for a garden.