This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Re: [PRIMROSES] PUTTING YOUR TREE TO BED

In a message dated 97-12-31 01:18:41 EST, you write:

<< What I do remember is being told that even adding an inch
 > of soil over tree roots can be fatal.

 Hi, Robyn.  Since tree roots need to grow under soil, did you mean the
 trunk?  Or are you referring to those thick roots whose upper surfaces
 protrude from the ground close to the tree - if that is what you meant,
 please respond!  This I need to know - I have received answers about
 covering the trunk but not concerning those large, exposed roots, which I
 am considering doing to a small extent.

 >>
SHEILA, ROBYN, AND THE REST OF YOU TREE FREAKS......

IN MY EXPERIENCE....FOR WHAT ITS WORTH.....ADDING SOIL WILL NOT HARM A MATURE
TREE!!!!!!!

I HAVE DONE THIS WITH 2 MAPLES AND A SPRUCE, APPLES AND WILLOW,
MULBERRY....THE ONLY IMPACT WAS THAT THE TREES TOOK OFF LIKE BANDITS FROM THE
INCREASED WATER AND FERT FROM THE FLOWER GARDEN.....

THE FIRST MAPLE AND THE SPRUCE WERE DONE 17 YEARS AGO.....NO ILL AFFECT.....

PLEASE CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING......

1)  IT HAS BEEN SAID [I DONT KNOW BY WHOM] THAT A TREE IS 3 TIMES BIGGER BELOW
THE SOIL THAN ABOVE.....SO IF YOU ARE WORKING UNDER A 30 FOOT MAPLE.....ITS
ROOTS COULD, IN THEORY BE 90 FEET AWAY FROM THE TRUNK......SO, AT BEST YOU ARE
GOING TO HAVE A MINOR IMPACT ON YOUR TREE IF YOU ARE BUILDING A BED WITHIN 10
FEET OF THE TRUNK....YOU WILL NOT BE STARVING THIS THING FOR OXYGEN OR
ANYTHING ELSE....AND IF YOU DO, THIS POOR TREE HAD PROBLEMS BEFORE YOU CAME
ALONG....

2)  NONE OF YOU NEED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT COMPACTION, AS MOST OF THAT CAUTION
IS RELATED, AGAIN IN MY OPINION, TO BOB VILLA PULLING UP A CRANE, BULLDOZER
AND GIANT CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT TO SEVER HALF THE ROOTS OF A TREE TO DIG A
BASEMENT.....PRESUMING YOU WILL NOT BE DRIVING 10 TON EQUIPMENT OVER YOUR
EXPOSED TREE ROOTS.....QUIT BEING CONCERNED ABOUT COMPACTION....

3)  WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL BE BETTER FOR THE TREE.....THE ARID, DRY PACKED
EARTH THERE NOW, AND ALL THE BRUISING YOU GIVE IT EVERYTIME YOU DRAG THE
LAWNMOWER OVER IT.....OR A FOOT OF OVER-FERTILIZED, OVER WATERED HUMUS WITH
HOSTA GROWING IN IT.....AGAIN, IMHO, THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THE NEW SOIL
WILL BE AN ADDITION.....

4)  IF YOU GO AND LOOK AT YOUR TREE....YOU WILL SEE THAT IT HAS HEAVED ITSELF
OUT OF THE GROUND TO SOME EXTENT...IS IS NOT HARD TO SEE THE TRANSITION OF THE
TRUNK TO THE ROOT MASS, AS THERE IS USUALLY A TRANSITION IN THE BARK........I
WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED THAT IT WILL BE 6 TO 12 INCHES ABOVE THE GRADE AT 10 TO
12 FEET AWAY......THE POINT BEING THAT YOU CAN RAISE THE BED 12 INCHES AT TEN
FEET AWAY, AND IT WILL TAPER DOWN TO MERELY NOTHING AT THE TRUNK......GO
AHEAD, LOOK....AM I RIGHT.....[OH I DID THIS AROUND A 40 Y.O APPLE
ALSO......1.5 YEARS AGO AND THE DARN TREE HAS GROWN INTO THAT SOIL LIKE THERE
IS NO TOMORROW....IT LOVES IT...]....AND BEING IN DENIAL ABOUT THOSE DRATTED
WILLOW.....I ADDED 1.5 FEET AROUND THEM, STUMPED THE TREE AT 20 FEET 5 YEARS
AGO [MEANING THEY WERE DENUDED TO THE 20 FOOT DIAMETER TRUNK TOP TO
BOTTOM]....WELL, THEY ARE BACK TO 35 FEET IN EVERY DIRECTION....AND SHOW NO
SIGNS OF STOPPING NOW....

BOTTOM LINE......TREES DIE EVENTUALLY....

ADD YOUR SOIL....ENJOY YOUR GARDEN, ENJOY THE LABOR, ENJOY THE SHADE, AND
ENJOY THE TREE.....IT WILL BE HERE LONG AFTER YOU ARE GONE.....

"THERE IS NOTHING SO BEAUTIFUL AS A TREE....."

LATER...KEN IN THE BELOW ZERO WINDCHILL.....YET IT LOOKS LIKE A 50 DEGREE DAY
AS I GAZE OUT THE WINDOW, LOOKING AT THE MULTITUDES OF RAISED BEDS, CHOKING
AND DROWNING MY POOR FROZEN TREES....

OH BTW....I TOOK MASTER GARDENER CLASS AND AGREE THAT ALL THE THEORIES
PREVIOUSLY POSTED ARE IN THE LITERATURE.....I JUST DONT AGREE WITH ANY OF THE
LEFT WING LIBERAL, DONT HARM YOUR TREE STUFF.....GO FOR IT!!!!!!
 AND IF IT DIES...THINK OF ALL THE FIREWOOD, OR IN 5 YEARS THE COMPOST AFTER
YOU GRIND IT ALL UP.....OH ENOUGH ALREADY.....HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

PPS:  ANYBODY MISS ME?????
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index