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Dawn redwood condition and tree ring questions

12 years ago

Hello all,

Im building some decorative tree rings around the trees down mt driveway. One of the trees is a beautiful 25ft dawn redwood that we love to pieces. It has bermuda grass right up to the base right now. I started pulling the grass, which is very eep rooted, but I really didnt want to dig or use chemicals to get rid of it. I soaked the area and poked around and couldnt find any tree roots close to the surface, but the bermuda grass roots grow pretty deep in this area and I am worried about damaging the trees roots whilst pulling it.

So I htink Im going to move on to plan B, just cutting the grass reeal short and covering the area with newspaper and mulch about 4-5 inches deep. There will be no soil going into the tree rings, just mulch.

Do you think this plan is the best for protecting the trees roots, or does anyone see any potential problems, or make any other suggestions?

Also the leaves on the bottom half of the tree are starting to brown at the tips . We have had a very hot, dry summer so far here but I have been religious in watering the trees leaves, and soaking the ground to the dripline 2-3 times per week. Can anyone hazard a guess as to what the problem could be and how to remedy it.

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Comments (6)

gardener365
12 years ago
You don't need to have even the slightest concern about the browning.

As for the mulch, just don't pile it on deep. 3" max. And then keep the mulch away from the trunks of the trees about an inch or two. Just so it doesn't touch.

Proceed!

Dax
Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis
12 years ago
Okie, I like your plantings! Metasequoia is one of my favorites.

I agree with Dax your tree looks pretty good. Heck, the grass sneaking up to the trunk looks plenty green even!

My Metasequoia is similar size and has some interior branch browning/foliage loss presumably due to shade, some Japanese Beetle damage.

How long has yours been in the ground and what part of the country are you in?

Mine was put in as a foot tall Arbor Day special six, seven, eight years ago, whatever it was.

Last month was really hot and dry for St Louis. Some Acer Palmatums and my yard seemed to want watered. I decided to drag out the sprinklers for about forty five minutes or so once a week. I never really focused on the Metasequoia but I made sure the grass outside its drip line got watered.
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wisconsitom
12 years ago
Okie, I add only that there is nothing magical about a tree's dripline. That is, the roots don't stop there. In fact, many examinations of tree root systems show that they can and frequently do extend as much as 2 and a half times the crown width out from the trunk.

As far as newspaper/mulch, yeah, that'll work. You'll have some grass/weeds bust through here and there, but nothing too hard to deal with.

+oM
whaas_5a
12 years ago
Dax is right on the mulch, don't go more than 3" deep. 2" is the perfect amount in my opinion.

Stuff starts to crust over if you go any deeper than 3". I never understand why some sources recommend 4-5".
okie_smith
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks Dax, Tom. Tornado, we just bought this house last fall, but Im guessing the tree is the same age as the house (7 years)and we live in central Oklahoma. We did get very fortunate with the trees the previous owners left us- just not the lawn :). Thanks for the help everyone- nothing left to do but do it I guess. Now when is that next day under 100 degrees going to be?..............
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
i like to say.. as an example.. since no one really knows...

that a tree is twice as big below ground.. as above ... though in a different shape ....

i doubt.. based on that.. that you can do much of any harm ... PULLING OUT grass ...

if you used a shovel or machine. then there might be issues ...

if it were me.. i would use roundup.. but you knock yourself out any which way you prefer ...

ken

ps: to my eye,.. i would level your little rings.. consistent with the driveway .... it would bug the bee-gee-bees out of me.. to see them slanted like that ... dig in a few inches on the drive side .. and add some sand on the opposite side ... if you wish ...

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