Quick verdict
Thirteen non-woven felt rings with a slit to the centre that lay around the base of a young tree or shrub to block weeds and grass, hold moisture and give the mower and string trimmer a clear edge to work to, so the trunk is never hit. Trimmer damage and grass competition are the two things that slow a young tree most; a ring handles both. Felt breathes and passes water where plastic does not. Pin them and cover with mulch or they lift.
Strengths
- Blocks grass and weeds competing with young tree roots
- Gives a clear edge so trimmers never reach the trunk
- Felt passes water and air to the roots
- Holds soil moisture under the ring
- Thirteen rings for a row of trees or an orchard
Weaknesses
- Must be pinned and mulched or wind lifts them
- Felt frays at the slit after a few seasons
- Single ring size; large trunks need the slit widened
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
A Clear Circle Around the Trunk
The grass around a young tree competes with its roots, and the edge of that grass is where the string trimmer runs and the bark gets stripped. A felt ring takes away both problems. MAQIHAN’s pack is thirteen non-woven felt rings with a slit to the centre that lay around a trunk, block the grass, hold moisture and mark a circle the mower keeps to.
This review is based on the listing specifications and on how felt mulch rings perform around young trees generally. We have not used these rings ourselves and the brand is a generic importer.
Fitting
Pull or kill the grass in a circle a little larger than the ring. Open the slit, slide the ring around the trunk with the slit closed behind it, and pin the edges with landscape staples. Cover with an inch of mulch to hide the felt and hold it down. The whole job is five minutes per tree.
What It Does
Grass under the ring dies and does not return, so water and nutrients go to the tree. Moisture stays under the felt through a dry week. The mower has a circle to stop at and the trimmer never needs to come near the bark, which is the leading cause of death in young landscape trees.
Felt Versus Plastic
Plastic rings seal the soil; water runs off and roots suffocate. Non-woven felt breathes and passes rain and irrigation while shading the grass out. It frays at the slit after a few seasons, by which time the tree casts enough shade to do the job itself.
Sizing
The rings suit young trees and shrubs. A trunk thicker than the centre hole takes a wider slit cut with scissors.
Who Should Buy It
- Anyone planting a row of young trees in lawn.
- Orchard owners keeping grass off the trunks.
- Homeowners whose trimmer has already marked a tree.
Common Owner Complaints
Rings lifting in wind and fraying at the slit. Pin and mulch; accept a few seasons of life.
Technique Tips
Water the tree well before laying the ring so the felt goes down on moist soil and holds that moisture in. Set the slit on the side away from the prevailing wind so gusts press it closed rather than open. Use four staples per ring at least, one each side of the slit and two opposite, and push them flush so the mower deck never catches one. Top up the mulch over the ring each spring and pull any weed that roots in the mulch while it is small.
Alternatives to Consider
A circle of bark mulch with no fabric for established trees. Rubber tree rings for a permanent edge. Aukney spiral trunk guards for bark protection alone.
Verdict
For young trees in a lawn, a felt ring removes the grass and keeps the trimmer away for very little money. Pin it, mulch it and the tree gets its first years in peace.
Full specifications
MAQIHAN 13-Pack Non-Woven Felt Tree Ring Mulch Mats and Weed Barrier Tree Protectors FAQs
Grass around a young trunk takes the water and nutrients the tree needs and brings the mower and trimmer within reach of the bark. A ring removes the grass and marks the edge.
Clear grass from a circle, open the slit, slide the ring around the trunk, pin the edges with landscape staples and cover with a thin layer of mulch to hide it and hold it.
No. Felt passes rain and irrigation and reduces evaporation beneath it, which is the advantage over plastic.
Two or three seasons under mulch. By then the tree has shaded out the grass under its canopy.
