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Maple tree with root shank?

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

Yesterday I had a maple tree delivered from a local tree nursery that was b&b in clay. We removed the burlap and removed clay down to what I believe is the root flare and planted it. There are 3 larger lateral roots here. There were some thin roots that we pruned because they were above the root flare and the resulting soil level. On the trunk is also a small scar from where I believe the tree was "cut back" by the nursery to promote growth and a straight trunk.

After some research I am concerned I did not plant the tree deep enough because it looks like the root shank is above the soil. Is this OK? I think there is a possibility the trunk adapted to being planted too deep at the nursery and transitioned to root tissue.

Thank you in advance!

My tree:

Image below from Link

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Comments (5)

bengz6westmd
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Looks correctly planted to me. Easy to plant trees too deep, almost impossible to plant them too high. I see trees along a stream near me that have the whole topmost root-crown exposed because of flood-erosion, but they are healthy as long as they don't get uprooted. Below is a weeping willow along my stream hanging on to a piece of bank. At one time there was a full soil-bank there where it was growing in.
Abigail Krikke thanked bengz6westmd
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
2 years ago
looks spot on to me ...

nice lawn ... do not rely on lawn irrigation to properly water a tree ...

i presume its either bare.. or will be very soon ... its just going to have to take some faith and proper watering to believe it will bud out properly in spring ...

i doubt it matters.. but where are you.. big city name .. so we might advise about winter if necessary ... only thing that might come to mind is winter sun scald.. and whether to wrap it to avoid such ...

some mulch sure wouldnt hurt ...

ken

ps: i dont understand if the second pic is your tree or a representation ... did you bare root yours ...its not important it had been... but fantastic that you did look for the root flare ... and were proactive in that regard ... also.. perfect timing on planting ...
Abigail Krikke thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
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The most common reason for surface rooting is overly compacted soil. There is simply so little oxygen available at lower levels that the roots stay in the upper area. Clay soil and the dubious "topsoil" spread around new construction make things worse.Species matters much less than the physical condition of the soil although some trees, notoriously Norway maple and spruces for example, tend to be shallow rooted. As any tree matures, grass will be harder and harder to grow because of too much shade and too much competition from the tree for moisture and nutrients. A reasonable depth of coarse organic mulch will not smother the tree's roots. You will be able to plant tough shade tolerant plants like hostas and they will grow well until the tree's roots colonize the mulch. This will happen very quickly. Best solution? No grass. No hostas or other perennials. Moss instead. No worries about root competition. No mowing. Weeding a few times a year. Keeping leaves off for the winter. Both best done by assuming a Zen attitude.
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I'm almost certain if you leave some roots in there, they won't sprout. I don't need to tell you that your maple tree will send more though. Beautiful trees but hard to garden under.
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Walking on won't hurt the tree at all. (Ask me how I know, lol.) What does kill the tree is what littlebug described. The cutting and grinding out of most of the major roots. Also, the installing of a lot of dirt and mulch volcanoes. I hove planted liriope, usually know as Monkey grass around here, around another maple in the side yard on a short steep slope. It is very pretty year round with blue flower spikes. I also dropped daffodil bulbs in for the spring. If you do use liriope, there are two kinds. You really want the clumping, even though it grows slower, instead of the running. I have found that the running seems to have smaller leaves. ETA: Usually I don't even dig to plant liriope. I plant just like daylillies and iris. Drop on top of ground with a little mulch, water, and away it goes.
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My soil is mostly loamy, slightly on the clay side. It's pretty good soil. I was planning on putting a layer of compost on top and then mulch. At my last house we had red clay, so bad that when you walked outside after a rain, it would stick to your shoes 2-3 inches thick on the bottom. If you pushed a spade into it, it was stand up in that position indefinitely. It was rock-hard when dry. No non-native tree would do well without extensive amendments. I'd dig up a tree after 5 years of doing nothing and find that the rootball was still in the pot shape it was when I planted it! Here it is good soil. But maybe I will mix in a little compost just in case.
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Abigail Krikke
Original Author
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Thank you both for your replies, I feel much more confident now in the planting.

Ken I am near Grand Rapids, MI so zone 6A. I plan on covering it with mulch this morning thank you for the reminder! The leaves on the tree are turning a little yellow. Not sure if it is seasonal color change, stress, or overwatering. The second image is from an online source when I was researching root shanks
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
2 years ago
Not sure if it is seasonal color change, stress, or overwatering.

===>>

aw come on... its mid october in MI ... they are yellow because of such.. dont overthink this ...

sure.. the stress may have sped it up... but the declination of the sun was the trigger ...

over watering it had nothing to do with it ...

have faith.. maple in MI ... its hard to lose with such ...

winter sun scald is possible.. and easy to avoid ...

paper wrap or a plastic thingee ...

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffsb&q=suin+scald+tree+wrap&iax=images&ia=images

if deer are a potential issue.. and where arent they in MI ... this might work better depending on the diameter of the trunk:

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=plastic+spiral+tree+wrap&t=ffsb&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images

or 3 T posts with fishing line around them will also work ...

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffcm&q=3+T+posts+with+fishing+line&ia=web

if you happen to have T posts laying around.. .lol ... and a post-pounder-inner .. lol

if you got any of the 9 inches of rain weve gotten in the last few weeks. the soil around the hole should be sodden ... did you notice when digging ... so if you watered it in properly at planting.. you should be all set until near july .. but check once a month.. in the root zone ... not just under the mulch ...

ken
Abigail Krikke
Original Author
2 years ago
Thanks again Ken, I will definitely look into the tree wrap today I did not know about sun scald!

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