Quote:
Originally Posted by stevezmom  The "Professional" Lanscaper had to trench for sprinklers, drains etc. He told me (after the fact) that he used a chainsaw to get through some of the roots. |
Soon as I read that I cringed. Landscapers and landscape architects for that matter dont usually know a whole lot about trees, sure there's exceptions however the bulk generally dont .... as evidenced in this example.
Now imagine a tree in the middle of a park or field. The roots can grow in a full 360 degree circle, all directions. And they grow out further than the canopy, that's a well known fact. Also a well known fact is the vast majority of those roots reside in the top say 12" of soil, the top 6" is really thick of them. That's because they need, water, nutrient and air.
Anyway, your tree was behind the 8-ball to begin with. When viewed from the top it had only been left with 1/4 of it's full circle root growing entitlement. Hard surfaces like concrete dont have good conditions for root growth, remember the things we needed above (water, air and nutrient).
So the 1/4 left, which the tree would have really over utilized to compensate for the other areas inferiority was then, by a "professional" landscaper, torn up, turfed (hostile competition for tree roots resources) and had roots cut etc.
Now there's a huge battle on. The tree needs to draw resources but the bulk of it's tools (roots) for doing so have been cut, squashed, buried and other stuff is getting the goodies first.
Now, what can you do?
You need to try to get that tree to grow roots fast. It needs those roots to take up the raw ingredients for making life dependant sugars via photosynthesis.
But, if you apply to the surface the grass and other stuff gets it too. Nice catch 22 eh.
An unorthodox method, outside of the box thinking that others have rightfully applied would go like this for me.
I would foliar spray other plants and lawn with a growth retardant, slow them down. Then a week later apply a drench of "tea" which would be tree root friendly, loaded with root growth hormones and essential elements including Silica ... natural soil conditioners and light fertilizer low in N as the tree needs stuff right now.