Tree Irrigation Bag Trouble
Recently a prestigious golf course in Northern Virginia reported that they were having difficulty with some Sugar Maples that were transplanted to the front of their clubhouse. The trees were visibly suffering, with drooping and pale colored leaves. This is not the image that they want flanking the entrance to a stately club.
Upon inspection of the trees, Pro Arbor's arborist noted that all six of the trees had tree irrigation bags surrounding their trunks. The bags were full, and the trees were mulched with a 3" layer of composted hardwood mulch. When the bags were lifted to inspect the root flare, the problem became immediately apparent. Under the bags was a tightly woven network of new feeder roots. The roots were growing in a circling mass, staying within the 12" of space under the bag.
The obvious problem here is that the roots were circling instead of progressing outward from the root flare. The not-so-obvious problem is that, every time the bags are filled, the weight of the water presses down to create an anaerobic condition upon the feeder roots. Roots cannot perform their function in the absence of oxygen, so they suffocate until the bags are empty or light enough to allow oxygen to squeak in.
There is a better way. Pro Arbor's soil remediation program (which is being applied to the above-mentioned trees) employs Rootwells, underground devices that promote oxygen exchange throughout the root zone. Along with proper mulching and periodic application of organic compost tea, this yields results far beyond the currently accepted procedures.
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