The smell of spring is in the air in Greater Columbus — not the smell of hyacinths or daffodils, but the smell of freshly applied hardwood mulch around trees and shrubs and other perennial plants.

Choose mulch that drains well and don’t pile it too thick. Leave a gap around stems to help everything dry out faster.

Homeowners have complicated relationships with trees. Most people know how important trees are to our environment, our health, and the landscape on which their properties sit. At the same time, trees ...