Planted too deep?

splaker

last year

What do you think? its a stewartia btw

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cearbhaill (zone 6b Eastern Kentucky)

last year

Every single time I weed or mulch around the base of any small tree I run my fingers around the base at ground level just out of habit. Even if you'd rather not crawl and move away foliage you certainly can run your fingers around and feel that the root flare is exposed to air.

Most of the time all is well but in other sites soil and mulch do accumulate somehow (my property is hilly) and I have to pull some away and smooth things out.

My point is that you can do it by feel if you aren't able to see well.

It's just a good habit.

"I often tend to plant too deep."

Watch that- they settle.

How much they settle depends on your soil so you'll have to get to know your yard. But they will settle down in time so planting too high is almost always the right call.

If you know you have a tendency to plant too deeply well, now you're aware of that and can stop doing it :)

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Comments (12)

tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
last year
You’ll have to tell us. Can you see the root flare?

tj
splaker
Original Author
last year
Yes, just barely the top of it. The top of the grass is clearly higher but I suppose as long as the soil level is slightly below the flair? I often tend to plant too deep.
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first pic.. i would make a rake of my fingers.. and lightly scratch the soil.. and see if i could find the crown ... and find out if its where its supposed to be ... second and third pix .. too straight down pix.. to see the side.. and how it looks .. or to see the leaf stalks ... also.. a pic or two in a month or so.. might let us see .. ken
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
last year
first pic is of grass ... second pic doesnt show us the soil level at the trunk ...

ya know.. you could have planted it.. with half the pot shape int eh ground.. and the other above ...

it wont hurt much.. to pull back the soil an inch or so.. AND FIND OUT how deep is... use a tablespoon and a stiff brush... go all archeologist or CIS on it ...

then take some useful pix.. and we can opine...

save the soil.. and we will put it back the next day.. if necessary...

the growing root tips should be well put into the lawn.. so a little minor excavation around the trunk isnt going to kill the thing. .

ken
splaker
Original Author
last year
How's this:
bengz6westmd
last year
Seems to look OK.
splaker
Original Author
last year
I thought so too after taking this pic.
splaker
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
Great points! I suppose I could pull it up a bit sooner than later (as in today!) to be on the safe side.. settling of soil is something I've noted and cognizant of. I like the idea of gently exposing the flare on trees and plants... great suggestion. I have actually done it once or twice, not even being aware of what you've pointed out. I suppose it's a bit intuitive.

I think I will pull it up an inch (after packing down the base to minimize settling.
BillMN-z-2-3-4
last year
One thing I've noticed in my sandy loam. If you take out too much soil and then replace it back into the hole. Make sure you tamp that soil firmly before putting the plant on top of it.

That doesn't alleviate 100% of settling but does for most of it.

A little too high is better than too low. Exposed roots at the top of the flare will acclimate and develop bark, where trunk, that is too low in the ground will never develop root skin.

Here's an Ostrya virginiana I planted as a seedling that is doing just fine and has an exposed root flare that should become quite interesting someday.
Embothrium
last year
last modified: last year
Does this woodland species do well out in the open in your climate? Otherwise here is a primer on tree planting:

Problems with Planting Trees – The Garden Professors™
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
last year
I thought so too after taking this pic.

==>>>

it never failed to amaze me.. when actually got down on my belly.. and looked closely at the problem.. the issue resolved itself .... knowledge is power ...

you can plant an inch or two high.. so that it either settles properly.. or your mulch covers the inch sticking out ... you want the roots deep anyway ....

in bad clay.. the suggestion is to plant half of the pot in the ground.. and mound above ... so planting high is RARELY a problem ...

ken
BillMN-z-2-3-4
last year
And just for clarity, I didn't try to get my hophornbeam this high, but with pounding rains I sometimes loose 1/2" to inch of soil. But it's not worth me coming back to add 1/2" of dirt, especially once the flare produces regular 'trunk bark'.

And no, do not cover your root flare with mulch. If anything, mulch should have a spacing and be a few inches away from touching the trunk. Yes there is a reason.

Soil type, tree type and other factors affect how critical the height of the flare is.