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You could always steal it since it’s about that time of the year when people start putting fresh mulch out. But if you wanna go the less scumbag, just go to Lowe’s or Home Depot

Urban jungle might sell mulch. On passyunk near Dickinson.

Bartrams garden community garden has mulch for pickup.

I don't think Urban Jungle sells mulch, unless it's some precious tiny bag of something for a terrarium that costs $25.

EDIT: I just remembered that they now have a nursery at Morris and Water Street, but their web site says they are still closed for the season and does not give an opening date. I'm assuming they would sell mulch there along with their outdoor plants, but I haven't managed to check it out since it opened so I can't verify. https://www.urbanjunglephilly.com/nursery

Pretty much the smallest quantity of mulch you can buy is the standard 2 cubic foot bag. The good news is, it's cheap (about 3.75 right now for hardwood mulch). The bad news is, you'll have a very hard time finding it in the city anywhere but Home Depot or Lowe's. (Don't buy the dyed garbage, go all the way to the end of the row and get HARDWOOD MULCH, no dye, no bark)

However, you can get FREE mulch in any quantity you want up to 30 gallons at the Organics Recycling Center in Fairmount Park, if you are a Philly resident. However, you will need to drive there, bring your own container, and pay attention to their not-totally-convenient hours: https://www.phila.gov/services/trees-parks-the-environment/get-organic-materials/

I found Fairmount Park gives out free mulch but it's about a 20 minute ride out from South Philly to 3850 Ford Ave (Fairmount Park). https://www.thegreencities.com/philly/where-to-get-free-compost-mulch/

Irrigation bag might be worth a stop at Lowe's or Home Depot. A green zippered bag you fill with water to self-water the tree. This also keep dog urine directly off the base as it tries to root. Mine also gets a yearly Jobe tree spike. (Tree is 25+ y.o. now, 2 stories high, a beauty!)

Here’s their phone number, 215 952 0811.

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I had to upvote you since no one here seems to have a sense of humor.
I originally wanted to post a comment like:
"too much mulch", but figured I'd get 300 downvotes.
What is Philly coming to when no sense of humor?
WC Fields and Larry Fine would be rolling over in their grave!!!

I laugh at it. People in this sub take a lot shit so literal. If only you could see who downvoted you. I’d be at their house stealing mulch right now.

If you or any of your neighbors use a compost pickup service - e.g. Bennet or Circle - they are currently doing finished compost distribution.

Serves the same purpose, basically.

This is the good stuff. Thank you so much. Especially for the extra tidbit about avoiding dyed mulch, which I like to think I’d think of but probably wouldn’t.

Thank you!! That’s a tally in the side of risking my life (jk but also not) driving over to Columbus.

Good on you! In case this is your first time mulching a tree, make sure to avoid "volcano mulching" aka mulching a mound up the base of your tree. This can lead to root rot by trapping excess moisture and preventing oxygen exchange. Make sure to leave a few inches mulch-free around the trunk!

just a lil mulch 15th and wolf

Thank you! It is, and now thanks to you I will not be making that mistake.

there is a Home Depot and Lowe’s in South Philadelphia

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They do. I just bought some mulch for $14 this past weekend.

Haven't seen it posted yet, but South Philly High School has a big pile of wood chips that you can just take. Go on a Saturday between 9a-12p (I think?) and someone should be at the garden on the Jackson st. side, but pretty sure they don't mind if you just take it.

Bonus: if you weren't aware, and are tired of constantly weeding your tree pit put a layer of cardboard down around the whole thing before putting your mulch/wood chips. Allows water to get through and will eventually compost, but prevents weeds from getting sun and growing up.

This is awesome, thank you - for both the SPH tipoff and the cardboard trick. Really glad I asked the sub!

The 3-3-3 rule for mulch is: Make a circle about 3 feet in diameter around the tree's base; make the mulch about 3 inches deep, and leave about 3 inches clear around the tree's base to let it breathe (as the person above you said).

Happy to help! Look up your local tree tenders program - I’m part of lower Moyamensing and based on your post you’re north a bit, but reach out to PHS and they should be able to point you in the right direction: https://phsonline.org/programs/tree-programs.

There’s a hardware store at 20th and Pine (Rittenhouse Hardware). Not that close, but a great small store. May C&R on Washington as well?

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It would be even more fun to just keep ADDING mulch.
Every day just add a little. After awhile there would be so much that they would start wondering.
Everyone is always worried about something being stolen that they don't think about something being added. I've had lots of fun leaving strange things (nothing that bad) at peoples houses when visiting. I usually will leave it in a place where they won't find it for awhile. Then they find it and wonder if it's always been there. This is really great when it's a couple living. One thinks the other put it there!
It's fun to make the world a little more surreal place!

I’ll just add a pound of different color mulch every Friday at 2:37am. Idk why that time but it sounds good for this scenario

I like that idea. Especially if it was spread out evenly.
The person would wonder "Is that a different color? or is it rotting or something else? It's really weird since it seems to be expanding..."