mistake, added soil around base, what to do now.

13 years ago

I have two Norway maples and a Korean dogwood around which I added 4-6" of topsoil 6 years ago when I was defining a vinca bed. The bed was to prevent further compacting the soil near the trees and provide more visual interest than grass. A fieldstone border surrounded the bed.

I realize now that these 25 yr old trees were also planted too deep. I've dug down to remove the smaller girdling roots but still haven't reached a root flare.

3 years ago, one maple and the dogwood would start looking droopy in midsummer, whether it was wet or dry weather, which I wonder now is due to me burying the roots with the additional soil.

Is the damage done or should I remove the bulk of the soil and vinca near the trunk? I'm wondering if roots have grown up into the soil and removing might lead to further damage.

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Comments (6)

greenthumbzdude
13 years ago
I am sure that the damage is done. After 25 years, the trees would most likely have damaged root systems. I would cut the trees down and start all over. Norway maples are invasive anyway so you would actually be doing your neighbors and the enviroment a favor. I would suggest natives maples like red maple and sugar maple.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
13 years ago
I agree that the damage - if any - has already been done. 25 years is a LONG time for trees to survive that were originally planted too deeply so not sure that is of particular concern here. However, adding soil around the trunk and roots of established trees can certainly shorten their lifespan, depending how extensive/widepread this additional layer may be. If it is just a narrow ring around the base, there may have been minimal impact to the feeder roots that will have spread out at a considerable distance away from the trunk after 25 years. OTOH, piling up soil against the trunk is never a good idea.

I'm not sure I would recommend removal without having the trees assessed for health and potential hazards. That the trees show stress in summer is not a great sign but not necessarily indicative of impending doom :-) Call in a certified arborist for a consultation before you make such a radical decision.
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jaansu
Original Author
13 years ago
the extra soil has only been in place 6 years and was not placed at the trunk but starting 2' away. On my street, my trees are almost the last remaining trees from the original Toll Bros plantings so I suspect all were planted deep. Of course my neighbor's riding mowers, topping, lawn chemicals and volcano type mulching probably contributed to their demise.

I would love to remove the junk trees along with my remaining Bradford pear but that isn't an option presently, so I'd rather try low percentage ideas for saving them than giving up entirely.

I did call in an arborist who volunteered that I needed to remove the girdling roots. His quote for doing the work exceeded removing the tree and putting in something of value, so that is out.

The soil is in a narrow band, not even close to the dripline, so it sounds like removing the extra soil is the place to start.
arktrees
13 years ago
"the extra soil has only been in place 6 years"

6 WEEKS is more than enough time to do allot of damage (potentially fatal) to the root system through burying. 6 years is not an "only", as in small or short. Whatever damage this was going to do, is almost certain done. By this point I would expect them to be recovering, or in irreversible decline. It sounds like the later from the information given.

The question still remain of just how extensive it it? Just the same after 6 years, removing soil now would be futile IMHO.

Arktrees
jaansu
Original Author
13 years ago
Fair enough. What about the issue of all the trees (white pines, dogwood, maples) being originally planted too deep 20 yrs ago. Is it also futile to excavate to either reach or get closer to the root flare?
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
13 years ago
hey

personally .. before i knew better.. i often lifted the soil under trees .... on an otherwise healthy tree ... not done with machinery ... and in a limited space ... [taking into consideration that the root zone is twice as wide as the canopy above] .... i feel it is not a problem ...

the problem is the too deep planting.. and that is what.. after 25 years.. is killing the tree.. and that is what you complicated by adding 6 more inches ... [it was not an otherwise healthy tree ...

i think your last post suggests that you have other trees planted too deep???? if so ... without pics.. i would suggest you leave well enough alone ... unless there are some facts i missed ... like they are showing some problems ...

ken

mistake, added soil around base, what to do now.

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greenthumbzdude

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

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mistake, added soil around base, what to do now.

Comments (6)

greenthumbzdude

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

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jaansuOriginal Author

arktrees

jaansuOriginal Author

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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jaansu
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