A layer of mulch around the tree’s roots can cushion and insulate the roots and minimize soil erosion. Pick a material that won’t absorb too much moisture from the soil around the base of the tree. A few options include:  Pine straw. This material is not absorbent, and will allow moisture to reach your tree’s roots easily. Pine bark nuggets. If you choose this material, make sure to remove old nuggets before laying down new ones, or the old mulch may absorb too much moisture from around the tree’s roots. Shredded wood mulch. Because this material absorbs moisture easily, avoid putting too much at the base of your tree. Use a layer only about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. You will need to put down enough mulch to cover the exposed roots, but take care not to put down so much that you smother the roots. Use thinner layers when applying more absorbent mulches (such as shredded wood), and take care that the pile doesn’t become too thick when you refresh the mulch. Your mulched area may need to be up to 2/3rds the diameter of the tree’s canopy. Don’t worry if the mulch covers up part of the lawn around the tree. Allowing your roots to compete with your grass will only lead to further soil erosion. If you pile up too much mulch around the base of the tree, it may cause the bark at the bottom of the tree to become diseased. Leave a little space between your mulched area and the base of the tree.
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One-sentence summary -- Select an organic mulch material. Put down a layer of mulch no more than 3-4 inches (7.6-10.2 cm) thick. Make the area of mulch wide enough to cover the exposed roots. Avoid piling mulch against the trunk of the tree.

Q: When you and your ex were still together, you may have blended your work schedules and activities to suit one another. Now, you’ll need to re-establish your routine. Find ways to tweak your schedule so that you can avoid your ex.  For instance, maybe the two of you always got coffee at the shop on the corner before heading to work. You might go to a different coffee shop, catch up with an old friend before work or add 15 extra minutes to your morning workout instead. If you took lunch together outside on a bench, you might take your lunch a half hour later or in a different location to avoid your ex. No matter how hard you try, it can get complicated to continue working side by side with someone you used to date. If a change of scenery sounds attractive, you might consider switching to a new department or team within your company.  Changing to a new department or team may help you develop skills you are lacking, which can look great on your resume. You do not need to let anyone know that the change in your relationship is the cause of your transfer. Sometimes, you’d much rather avoid your ex than try to keep your cool in their presence. If you are a shift worker, you may be able to avoid your ex altogether by swapping to a new shift. Talk to your supervisor about making a switch. Tell them you think a shift change will help improve your focus and productivity, which is probably true. It’s really hard to not bump into your ex during lunch break or at after-work cocktails when the two of your share the same social circle. Try to branch out and expand your social circle a bit.  This doesn’t mean ditching your old friends, but it will give you more opportunities to socialize without your ex being present. Take your coworker up on their offer to check out the new Thai restaurant after work or suggest that you and a few coworkers join a class at your nearest gym.
A: Make adjustments to your routine. Request a new department or team. Change shifts. Make new friends at work who aren’t friendly with your ex.

Article: Fixing your whole life can be an overwhelming project. Understand that meaningful change cannot be implemented overnight. Changing even a single bad habit can be challenging. Know that it's okay, and expected, for you to take baby steps.  Remember the first step in meaningful change is awareness of where your problems lie. Just being real with yourself and shining a light on your habits is incredibly instrumental towards fixing these issues. To build confidence about your self-improvement project, start small. Pick one area at a time in which you would like to improve. Work exclusively in this area until you have seen marked improvement, and then move to a new area. You may find that the positive changes you make in one area of life trickle down into other areas without you even trying. To fix your life, you need to look closely at the factors that are contributing to you being stuck in this rut. It’s hard to acknowledge that we are the ones standing in the way of our happiness. Nonetheless, recognizing this gives you power, since you are the only one who can make changes to improve your life. Think about which behaviors you do repeatedly that result in you feeling dissatisfied about life. People who are chronically unhappy often share similar habits. These include the following: Playing the victim Using alcohol, drugs, food, sex or other addictive behaviors to cope Feeling powerless to change their emotional state Neglecting health Having rocky relationships It’s common to experience negative thoughts periodically in life. However, if your life is constantly letting you down, your train of thought might be to blame. What’s running through your head all day on a loop has the power to cripple you and make you feel powerless at improving your life. Here are the 8 negative thought patterns of chronically unhappy people. Are you guilty of any of these?  Self-defeating talk: “I can’t…” or “I’m not good enough…” Ruminating negatively about the past: Rewinding or playing back horrible or stressful events that occurred previously in your life. Assuming the worst: Presuming the negative in all situations, or looking at life with a “glass half empty” attitude Comparing yourself critically to others: Viewing others as more attractive, wealthier, or having better lives Playing the victim: Choosing to look at yourself as weak or incapable of dealing with challenging people or situations Struggling to forgive yourself: Wallowing in guilt over past mistakes Blaming: Attributing your misfortunes to others Fearing failure or mistakes: Setting unreasonably high standards and being perfectionistic If your life is undesirable right now, you may need to assess your social circle. Ideally, you want to surround yourself with people who are positive, uplifting, and who see you value as a person. Such relationships are essential to happiness. However, if your relationships drain you, de-motivate you, or contribute to you maintaining unhealthy habits, then you may need to re-evaluate them. If you are an adult, then you must take responsibility for your role in any toxic relationships. Despite what you believe, you alone have the power to break free. So, if you chose to remain in such a relationship, you must acknowledge that are doing so at the sacrifice of your own well-being.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Take it slow. Examine problematic behavior patterns. Ask yourself whether your thoughts are bringing you down. Take a closer look at your relationships.