Less is more when mulching your trees. If you cover your tree’s root collar with a mound of mulch and soil, you’ll bury the chances of enjoying a long-lived tree. Although time-consuming, root collar excavation is worth the labor to save your trees.
“Save Our Trees”
Deep planting and excessive mulching on tree trunks is a chronic problem among urban landscapes. These practices have a number of negative, long-term effects on tree health, including potential death. Root collar excavation, a process that removes excess soil and mulch from the base of tree trunks, may help save your trees.
Stressed Out
Without a trunk flare, your trees may blend in with the utility poles scattered throughout the neighborhood. Root collar excavation can help them avoid this identity crisis as well as the following symptoms and stress factors:
- Yellowing of the leaves
- Premature fall coloration
- Small or undersized leaves
- Reduced growth rates
- Increased pest attacks
- Formation of stem girdling roots
Worth the Time
Let the trunk flare shine through—root collar excavation can help. Davey arborists now have supersonic air tools that greatly reduce the time and expense required for excavation. By using compressed air to remove excess soil from the base of the tree, arborists reduce the risk of injuring large roots and tree trunks.