Tree owners often feel compelled to spray, prune, or apply something to their trees and landscape plants on a regular basis. But, unless there is a specific reason to spray, prune or apply things to landscape trees, the best thing to “do” to keep your trees healthy is to apply a layer of composted mulch.

“Fall is a great time to be out in the yard spreading shovels-full of composted woodchip mulch under your trees,” says Tchukki Andersen, BCMA, CTSP* and staff arborist with the Tree Care Industry Association. “Trees with mulched root zones are usually larger, healthier, develop faster, and have higher rates of survival than plants surrounded by turf grass or bare dirt. Mulches retain soil moisture and nutrients and reduce erosion and soil compaction.”

Mulched trees also have fewer weeds growing near the trunk, which reduces the need for the roots to compete for limited resources. The soil under the mulch also likely stays warmer longer into the winter and also warms faster in the spring, helping extend the growing season for plants in colder regions.

Natural mulches are a favorite among professional arborists, who view wood chips as excellent, attractive mulch for trees. Other natural mulches include bark chips, ground bark, composted lawn clippings, leaves, and straw. These mulches are high in cellulose and low in nitrogen and should be free of weed seeds.

Good mulching

How Wide is Wide?

A good mulch bed should extend out at least three feet from a tree’s trunk in all directions, though extending out to the dripline is preferred. This is where the fine, absorbing tree roots extend out into the soil, and mulch provides many health-related benefits for those roots. Keep all mulches several inches away from the base of the tree to avoid rot and diseases.

How Deep is Deep?

The mulch bed depth should be maintained at 2 to 4 inches.
Go Ahead, Cover the Grass! If there is grass in the area that needs to be mulched, put a five-page layer of newspaper over the grass, get it wet, then add mulch on top (this will help keep the grass from growing up through the mulch).

Use the Right Mulch

For poor soils, use a well-composted mulch to build up the nutrients. Soils that are healthy will do fine with a highly stable softwood bark (such as cypress bark), which doesn’t break down as easily. Measure the pH content. Checking the pH content of the mulch ensures it is compatible with the tree and soil.

Bad mulching

No Volcanoes, Please!

The biggest no-no when mulching is to create a “mulch volcano” that is piled high around the base of the tree. This practice traps moisture around the tree trunk and root flare leading to decay and, eventually, structural failure.

Avoid Fine Mulch

Thick blankets of fine mulch can become matted and prevent the penetration of water and air.

Don’t Let Mulch Sour

Low oxygen levels (from packed mulch) create a toxic “sour” mulch – which may give off pungent odors. Even worse, the compounds produced during the souring process (methanol and acetic acid) can kill young plants.

Don’t Keep Adding New Mulch on Top of the Old

While mulch does decompose, you do not want to accumulate excessive mulch year after year by adding fresh mulch every spring. If you want the look of fresh mulch, break up the old with a rake, and only add a layer of new on top if there is less than 4 inches in depth.

What can you do?

A professional arborist can assess your landscape and work with you to determine the best trees to plant. Contact the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA), a public and professional resource on trees and arboriculture since 1938. It has more than 2,300 member tree care firms and affiliated companies who recognize stringent safety and performance standards and who are required to carry liability insurance. TCIA has the nation’s only Accreditation program that helps consumers find tree care companies that have been inspected and accredited based on: adherence to industry standards for quality and safety; maintenance of trained, professional staff; and dedication to ethics and quality in business practices. An easy way to find a tree care service provider in your area is to use the “Locate Your Local TCIA Member Companies” program. You can use this service by doing a ZIP Code search on www.treecaretips.org.

* Board Certified Master Arborist, Certified Treecare Safety Professional

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Plan before you plant

“Before you plant a new tree in your yard, you need to understand how a tree could damage your property and take appropriate measures to prevent that damage,” advises Tchukki Andersen, Board Certified Master Arborist, CTSP and staff arborist with the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA). Woody tree roots thicken as they grow, gradually pushing shallow roots toward the surface. Since soil near the surface is best suited for root growth, most tree roots are just below the surface – putting them in conflict with man-made obstacles. Where the soil is covered by a solid driveway or patio, upward growing roots don’t experience the normal signals (increased light and air) that tell them they are reaching the surface. As a result, they often grow against the underside of pavement and become intrusive.

“Most damage is found six feet or less from the tree since roots become smaller and less damaging the farther they are from the trunk,” notes Andersen. “Keep this in mind before you plant. That small sapling could become a large shade tree with roots spreading 30 or 40 feet outward from the trunk.”

Cutting roots with discretion

Some homeowners, masons, and landscapers deal with intrusive roots by grinding down or removing them. This can be expensive and is very harmful to the tree. Wounding a tree’s roots creates points of entry for pathogens, leaving a tree vulnerable to disease. Cutting major roots also reduces a tree’s ability to take up nutrients and water, leaving it more susceptible to drought. Finally, cutting roots can reduce a tree’s structural support, which increases the danger that the tree will topple onto your house in high winds.

Keep the following in mind when cutting problem tree roots:

• the farther you cut from the trunk, the less threat to the tree’s health, and the less danger of creating a hazard
• try not to cut roots greater than 2 inches in diameter
• prune roots back to a side or sinker root (growing downward) when possible
• roots recover better from being severed when you:
  • cut them cleanly with a sharp saw instead of breaking them with a backhoe
  • mulch and water well after root pruning
• consult a qualified arborist when cutting within a distance equal to five times the trunk diameter to the trunk

Some better root-management options include:

• installing physical root guides and barriers that redirect tree roots down and away from hardscapes with minimal impact on the tree
• curve new hardscape features – such as a driveway or patio – around the tree roots
• suspend hardscape features on small pilings to bridge over roots

The right tree for your site

Andersen advises selecting trees for your landscape that will cause less damage, matching species with site conditions and – most importantly – not planting large shade trees within 12 feet of hardscapes (sidewalks, driveways). Since the health of trees in your yard is put at risk whenever root systems are cut back or damaged, anything that can be done to reduce the damage caused by tree roots will also benefit your trees. In areas within five to seven feet of a paved area or structure, plant trees that grow to a mature height of less than 30 feet. In areas within seven to 10 feet of a paved area or structure, plant trees that grow to a mature height of less than 50 feet. Reserve trees that when mature reach higher than 50 feet for areas with at least 12 feet of clearance around the trunk; this allows adequate space for the roots. Finally, before you plant, check for overhead utility lines and leave adequate space for that tree to mature.

Find a professional

A professional arborist can assess your landscape and work with you to determine the best trees and shrubs to plant for your existing landscape. Contact the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA), a public and professional resource on trees and arboriculture since 1938. It has more than 2,000 member companies that recognize stringent safety and performance standards and that are required to carry liability insurance. TCIA has the nation’s only Accreditation program that helps consumers find tree care companies that have been inspected and accredited based on: adherence to industry standards for quality and safety; maintenance of trained, professional staff; and dedication to ethics and quality in business practices. An easy way to find a tree care service provider in your area is to use the “Locate Your Local TCIA Member Companies” program. You can use this service at www.treecaretips.org.

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While roots can adapt to life near hard surfaces, they can also wreak havoc on them. When flat surfaces, such as sidewalks and patios are built, soil is compacted to build a foundation for these surfaces. Roots have a tendency to find the path of least resistance, and will do so in the small fissures in the soil under the hardscape. When a tree’s roots grow under hard surfaces – such as brick, concrete or asphalt – they can cause the surface to crack and lift. This is called “root heave” and results in unsightly and potential unsafe damage.

Trees can cause problems for nearby building foundations by finding small cracks that they will grow into causing larger cracks. Over time, this will cause structural damage to the foundation. Additionally, if a tree root contracts a wood decay fungus, the disease will disintegrate the root and cause soil shifting. This soil movement can drastically affect whatever is above ground.

What you need to know

Planting new trees

Avoid future problems by planting a tree with enough room to grow to full size. Did you know that a tree’s root system could extend to two- to four-times as wide as its crown? Research the mature height and branch spread of a tree before making a selection. Trees tend to grow high and wide, and need just as much space underground as they do above ground. A tree planted too closely to hardscapes, house foundations, pools, etc. will often cause problems as the roots grow horizontally.

Managing existing trees

If you have a mature tree that is already causing problems for your sidewalks, driveways and patios, there are specific root cutting and root direction practices that may be applied. These practices are outlined in the ASNI A300 standard for root management, and should be performed by a qualified arborist. When taken into your own hands, the potential for you to cut too many structural roots is high, which may cause tree instability. An individual untrained in root cutting methods could also cut the roots too close to the trunk, resulting in wood decay fungi entering the roots and eventually risking tree strength and structure.

What you can do

Redirect root growth

One thing you can do as an informed tree owner is to try to redirect root growth away from sidewalks and foundations using root barriers and other root-growth inhibitors. The physical barriers act like a wall to discourage root growth away from whatever you are trying to protect. Root barriers take a bit of work – you would have to dig a two- to four-foot trench (depending on the type of barrier you use) and bury the barriers in the soil. A qualified arborist can help you with the installation of barriers and application of root growth inhibitors.

Avoid compaction

What are other tree root concerns? Compaction is the biggest health risk to trees and is caused by the soil around the root zone becoming constricted. This constriction removes the necessary air and water pores in the soil that tree roots require to grow. Compaction is caused by many things, including lawn maintenance activities, vehicles parked or driving over the tree root zone, flooding or lack of drainage and most unmonitored construction activities. The best remedy for compaction is to prevent it in the first place. Since that is a rare occurrence, treat compaction by using pneumatic air tools to loosen the soil.

Replace it with soil suitable to the growing needs of your tree. If you aren’t sure what you need, ask an arborist.

Cover with the correct material

Sometimes homeowners use black plastic to cover a root system and top it with mulch to create a more pleasing aesthetic and prevent weeds. Plastic creates an anaerobic, or low oxygen, environment. When covered with plastic, roots won’t receive the necessary oxygen, water or nutrients needed to stay healthy.

If you must cover the roots of your tree, composted wood chip mulch without the plastic barrier underneath is a wonderful way to cover your roots and still maintain their health. Don’t use too much of a good thing! Read up on mulch dos and don’ts.

The health of your tree is directly related to its growing environment. Keep the roots healthy and viable by not driving over them, cutting indiscriminately or placing black plastic over the ground on top of them. A professional arborist can assess your landscape and ensure the health of your trees.
Use TCIA’s search tool to hire a professional arborist or tree care company.

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“Most homeowners will look at a tree’s branches, or canopy, and determine if the trees look healthy or if there is a visible problem. Many problems in tree show themselves in the canopy – leaf discoloration, premature leaf shedding or even branch death,” notes Tchukki Andersen, BCMA, CTSP* and staff arborist with the Tree Care Industry Association. “But, a significant amount of information on tree health and structural integrity lies unseen, below ground.”

Trees may fall over when their roots can no longer anchor their weight. In the urban and suburban landscape, roots can be lost or damaged by construction activities such as excavation, trenching, adding fill, paving or additional stresses such as fungal decay, drought or flooding.
“Some of the indicators of root problems can be detected by homeowners, while others can only be diagnosed by a professional arborist using specialized examination methods,” says Andersen.

Signs and symptoms that could indicate root problems include decline in the tree canopy, usually starting at the top but occasionally affecting one side or major branches throughout the canopy. A tree with an increasing lean, especially with soil heaving around its base, is another sure symptom of root problems. Signs of root problems include dead roots, broken roots and presence of fungal fruiting bodies (mushrooms) at the base of the tree or radiating out from the base. 

Roots sustain the live branches and leaves above the ground. When the connection between roots and the above-ground part of the tree is disrupted, leaf cover will thin and branches will begin to die as the tree’s energy reserves dwindle.

On the way down … causes of root damage

Sometimes root damage is visibly obvious when utility trenches, repaving, grading or soil compaction occurs in the tree’s root zone. But more often it can be difficult to assess damage to the root system. To determine how the root damage might affect the health of the tree, a professional arborist can estimate how much of the rooting area was affected within the critical root zone (CRZ). The CRZ is a circular area around the stem of the tree, usually smaller than the area defined by the outer reaches of the tree’s branches, known as the drip line. If any of the main roots inside the CRZ are damaged or missing, the risk of tree failure is greatly increased.

Think of the tree as both a structure and a living organism. As a rule of thumb, up to 40 percent of the root system can be damaged – causing problems for the living organism – before the tree’s structure is seriously impaired. Conversely, the tree can be biologically healthy while the main roots it counts on for support are deteriorated.

What can you do?

Be on the lookout for the signs and symptoms of root damage. These symptoms can be subtle, even undetectable, to the untrained eye. Contact a professional arborist. They can accurately diagnose root problems and potentially take corrective action.

The post Getting to the Root of the Problem appeared first on Tree Care Tips.

Did you know that over-mulching your trees will make them susceptible to damage, and even kill them?  When you invest time, and money, to beautify your landscape and provide shade, dead trees likely aren’t your end goal.

Many professional landscapers use a method called volcano mulching. You’ve likely seen it done to trees in cities and towns, as well as private businesses and residences. Volcano mulching is exactly what it sounds like – building up mulch at the base of the tree in the shape of a volcano.

This is not a good way to mulch your trees. Volcano mulching may cause:

• Decay and fungus in the base of the trunk when too much moisture is held in by the mulch
• Soil that is too dry for the roots to spread and create a stable base due to an impenetrable layer of mulch keeping water from filtering down
• Lack of air in the soil, resulting in suffocating the roots
• Insect and rodent damage

The effects of volcano mulching may not show up right away – in fact, unless you’re looking, it can take years for the effects to show. If you were to clear mulch away from the base of a tree that has been over-mulched, you may see that the bark has rotted off and the inside of the tree is exposed. Perhaps the leaves on your trees are smaller than normal, or yellow. Or, in extreme cases, trees with unstable root systems due to volcano mulching could fall over during a storm.

Properly-applied mulch will look somewhat like a flattened donut, with plenty of space in the middle for the flare and root ball to breathe. Here are some tips for how to mulch to promote tree health:

• Immediately after planting a tree, take care to mulch the planting area with 2 to 4 inches of an organic mulch, such as composted wood chips
• If you are applying mulch to an existing tree, carefully create a shallow edge within the drip line of the canopy, taking care to avoid damaging the roots, before you lay mulch down
• Do not mulch up to or against the trunk; start the mulch 6 inches away from the tree trunk. You should be able to see the “flare” at the base of the trunk where the first roots start to branch out

Still have questions about root maintenance? Read our FAQs on the subject.

Use TCIA’s search tool to hire a professional arborist or tree care company.

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In general, a healthy soil is free of crusts, compaction, pesticides and other toxins, salt buildup and excessive erosion, and contains sufficient organic matter and nutrients, in proper balance, to support a large and active population of native organisms. Your soil may look different depending on the region you live in, so make sure to compare your soil to local samples.

Q: How should I test my soil?

Homeowners may use a pH test kit from a local nursery or hardware store. A professional arborist can follow up by analyzing the soil and submitting it to a laboratory, and provide a plan to correct soil deficiencies. Homeowners can also take a soil sample to send it to their local university cooperative extension for analysis.

Q: What is soil pH, and why does it matter?

The pH scale measures how “acidic” or “basic” a substance is, on a scale of 0 to 14. Trees require specific pH levels (depending on the species) in order to thrive. Testing your soil pH levels prior to planting will tell you what adjustments you will need to make with fertilizers.

Q: What is the best way to apply fertilizer to my soil?

Fertilizers can be applied to the soil or foliage, or they can be injected directly into the tree. Sub-surface soil application is the preferred technique, and it is recommended to adequately fertilize the soil before planting the tree, as surface applications are less efficient. Foliar spray or trunk injections should be reserved for rare cases when soil application is not effective or not practical to apply.

Q: What kind of fertilizer should I use?

This will change depending on the condition of your soil, and your tree’s nutrient needs. When choosing a fertilizer, homeowners should select a fertilizer that is at least 50% slow-release, and has a salt-index of less than 50. Avoid fertilizers with a high ratio of potassium and phosphorous. If you correctly select and apply a slow-release fertilizer formulated for your tree, you should only need to apply 2 to 4 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per application. The total application for a growing season should not exceed 6 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet.

Use TCIA’s search tool to hire a professional arborist or tree care company.

The post Soil and Roots FAQs appeared first on Tree Care Tips.

But how can you tell if there’s something wrong with your soil? Unhealthy plants are the most obvious indicator; however, it is best to correct soil problems before this happens.

To do this, you first need to know what healthy soil looks like:

• Your soil should be free of crusts, compaction, pesticides and other toxins, salt buildup and excessive erosion.
• Your soil should also contain sufficient organic matter and nutrients, in proper balance, to meet your tree’s nutritional needs.
• Generally, healthy soil will be darker, as this means it is dense in organic matter.
• Healthy soil contains earth worms, fungi, and other animal and plant activity.

Check your soil’s health by digging up a sample and examining it. Does your sample match the guidelines above? If so, great! But remember, an untrained eye may not catch all soil defects. Fortunately, there are several fool-proof ways to evaluate the quality of your soil at home.

Common soil defects and how to test for them:

• Nutrient deficiencies. Poor soil nutrition can be caused by acidic or alkaline soil. Consult with a professional tree care company or take a soil sample and send it to your local university cooperative extension service for analysis. Click here to learn how to prepare a soil sample.
• Poor drainage. Too much compaction can result in either surface runoff or waterlogged roots. To evaluate soil drainage, dig a hole 12 inches deep and fill it with water. If the water fails to drain in 30 minutes, the soil has a drainage problem.
• Lack of organic matter. Sparse soil life, failing plants, and poor water retention or drainage indicate a lack of organic matter.

Ideally, you should treat your soil prior to planting, and regularly monitor it for defects.

Use these prevention and maintenance tips for best results:

• Prior to planting, break up compact soil by tilling, adding organic matter, or encouraging earthworms and soil organisms.
• If possible, plant your trees on a downward grade, so that the soil runoff flows downhill and prevents the roots from becoming waterlogged.
• Address nutrition and pH issues before planting, and follow up with periodic tests.

There are many other ways to evaluate soil health, but they require professional equipment, laboratory tests, and a trained eye. A professional arborist can thoroughly evaluate your soil health and develop a customized plan for your landscape.

The post What’s Wrong with My Soil? appeared first on Tree Care Tips.

To compensate, homeowners should consult a professional arborist to develop a nutrient management program for their trees, and apply supplements as needed.

First, you need to decide which fertilizer is best for your tree’s nutrition needs.

Fertility Management

Regular application of fertilizer might be necessary to ensure your trees have adequate nutrition. Fertilizers may be natural or synthetic, and aim to provide trees with proper nutrients.

Common objectives of fertilization include:

• Overcoming a visible nutrient deficiency
• Eliminating a deficiency not obviously visible that was detected through soil or foliar analysis
• Increase vegetative growth, flowering or fruiting
• Increase the vitality of the plant

Fertilizer and Soil pH Levels

Professional arborists practice “prescription fertilization,” which means they only apply nutrients found to be deficient. As the medical saying goes, prescription without diagnosis is malpractice; liberal fertilizer application can ruin your soil’s pH balance. An unbalanced pH will affect the availability of many nutrients.

While nutrients are vital to tree health, they should never be added if they compromise your soil pH levels. To avoid this, measure your soil pH before deciding which fertilizer to use, or consult with a professional tree care company.

Measuring pH Levels

The pH scale measures how acidic or basic a substance is, and ranges from 0 to 14, with 7 being the neutral value. A pH less than 7 is acidic, while a pH greater than 7 is basic.

Homeowners can take a soil sample and send it to their local university cooperative extension service. Click here to learn how to take a soil sample, or call a professional tree care service to perform a soil test.

A professional tree care service or your local university cooperative extension can make custom recommendations based on the results of the soil sample analysis. Caution: pH levels can change over time, so be sure to conduct follow-up tests and adjust your soil accordingly.

Choosing a Fertilizer

Professional tree care services have access to slow-release fertilizer formulated for your tree’s health. Often, professional slow-release fertilizers reduce the need for repeated treatments over the course of the growing season.

When choosing a fertilizer appropriate for trees, homeowners should select a fertilizer with the following qualities:

• Features at least 50% slow-release
• Has a salt-index of less than 50 (salt isn’t good for tree health!)
• Does not have high ratios or potassium and phosphorous. Trees don’t like 10-10-10 fertilizers.

Fertilizer Application Methods

Once you’ve selected your fertilizer, it’s time to apply the fertilizer to the planting site.

If possible, fertilizers should be applied to the soil prior to planting.  However, as your tree grows, you will need to develop alternate methods for fertilizer application:

• Surface Application. This works best when there is no turf or ground cover over the roots. Liquid surface application can be made with a variety of spray equipment. To achieve an even distribution of the fertilizer, a flooding tip or water breaker nozzle is preferred for surface application. Dry fertilizer can be used, but needs to be watered-in. Do not use a surface application where runoff can occur.
• Subsurface Application. This method requires drilling holes 2-4” wide to a depth of 4-8” and pouring a specific amount of fertilizer into each hole. There should be at least 2 inches between the top of the fertilizer and the surface of the soil. The fertilizer should be equally distributed among all holes.  Drill holes in a grid pattern, with holes spaced 12 to 36 inches apart. Caution: This method is labor-intensive and can damage roots. A professional tree care company can provide a subsurface liquid injection with slow-release fertilizer as an alternative.
• Foliar & Trunk Application. Fertilizers can also be applied to foliage, or they can be injected directly into the tree. Foliar spray or trunk injections should be reserved for rare cases when soil application is not effective or not practical to apply. These are advance fertilizer application techniques, and are best performed by a professional arborist.
• Application Amount. If you correctly select and apply a slow-release fertilizer formulated for your tree, you should only need to apply 2 to 4 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per application. The total application for a growing season should not exceed 6 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet.

Find a Pro

To ensure your trees are getting the best nutrition possible, hire a professional. A certified arborist can evaluate your trees’ health, and recommend appropriate plant health care treatments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9rfktj-bWps

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A healthy root system will have:

• Adequate room to expand.
• Enough space between trees, so that they do not compete for nutrients.
• White or light coloration under the root bark.

Roots can be damaged by construction, competing root systems and root diseases. Root diseases, which are more difficult to diagnose, can impede the root system’s ability to absorb water, retain minerals, and provide structural support.

Damaged or diseased roots cause the following symptoms in the tree:

• Small, yellow leaves with chlorosis. This means the leaves are producing insufficient chlorophyll due to a nutrition deficiency.
• Fungi such as mushrooms or conks growing at the base of the tree
• Noticeably slowed growth in the tree.
• White fungi growing under the bark.
• The progressive death of branches, starting at the tip and working inwards. This is also known as branch dieback.
• A visible flat portion of trunk, caused by a girdling root.

To verify your diagnosis, have a professional arborist excavate a root sample to examine directly. Brown coloration beneath the root bark indicates a diseased or dead root. As stated previously, healthy roots are typically white or light-colored.

Once a root disease takes hold, it can be very difficult to eradicate it and save the tree. Prevention is the best way to deal with root diseases or damage.

Here are a few root care tips:

• Select high quality trees, avoid purchasing trees that are “pot bound.”
• Avoid planting your tree near concrete, if possible. While roots can adapt to an urban landscape, they can damage the pavement as they grow.
• If you are planting multiple trees, consider how their root systems may affect each other. Typically, the root system will be two to four times the diameter of the tree’s crown. Try to avoid overlap.
• Use this spacing guide from the Arbor Day Foundation to see how common trees such as dogwoods, oaks and pines should be planted relative to each other.
• See the how to plant a tree section.

If you are unsure how to space your trees to guarantee optimal root growth, consult a professional arborist before planting.

The post What’s Wrong with My Roots? appeared first on Tree Care Tips.

There are many ways to damage a tree’s root system – some of which are unavoidable. However, preventative care can mitigate some root damage. Check out the list below for tips:

• Revitalize your roots. At least once a year, use a hand cultivator to carefully loosen the top 2 – 3 inches of soil. This alleviates compaction, and allows water and air to reach the roots.
• Water them frequently. Too much or too little water can damage a tree. Healthy soil should be moist, but not soggy.  You can check soil moisture by inserting a garden trowel to a depth of 2”, and then moving the blade of the trowel back and forth to create a small narrow trench. Then use your finger to touch the soil. If it is moist to the touch, no additional water is needed.
• Perform regular checkups. First, find the tree drip line. This is the outermost circumference of a tree canopy, where water drips from and onto the ground. Dig a hole out of this area and determine if the soil is dry, wet or compacted. You can check by hand, or by forming the soil into a ball. If the soil is adequately moist, it can be formed into a ball with little pressure.
• Apply a layer of mulch over tree roots. This will conserve moisture, help protect the soil and roots from damage and compaction, and add some valuable organic matter to the soil. Mulch should be applied at a depth of 2 – 4” and should be kept at least 6 inches away from the trunk.

Still have questions about root maintenance? Read our FAQs on the subject.

Use TCIA’s search tool to hire a professional arborist or tree care company.

The post Daily Root Care appeared first on Tree Care Tips.