This is a common coverage error Slow death Of a gorgeous red maple tree in a small suburban neighborhood.
in r/arborists On the subreddit, a user shared several photos of a red maple tree with its roots burning above the ground due to the long-term effects of volcanic capping.
“This beautiful red maple has been covered in a volcano for 20 years or so,” the OP wrote in their post, where they were asking for advice on what to do next with this tree.
“I’m not sure how much of these small roots to remove and what to do about the large girdle root,” the OP added.
Mulching is the process of piling mulch into a small pile around a growing tree. Although common, it is very detrimental to the long-term health of the tree. Accumulating mulch vertically around the tree traps moisture on the trunk, leading to rot, disease and pest infestation.
This excess mulch prevents oxygen from reaching the roots and can encourage shallow root growth, as described in the OP’s post. Proper mulching should form a flat, donut-shaped ring around the base of the tree, keeping the mulch several inches from the trunk to allow it to breathe and grow vigorously.
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The comments section below the Reddit post was confused about how far this maple tree had come.
“This root running through it is huge,” one user said male.
Many have provided helpful advice for the OP and others dealing with a similar situation.
“Great job detecting the glow,” said one arborist books. “You may need to blow more soil with the hose in jet mode now to see what you’re looking at.”
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Fortunately, mistakes like covering volcanoes can be avoided by rethinking how we design and care for our yards. An increasingly popular solution is to replace traditional grass lawns Local alternativeswhich tend to be lower maintenance because they work with local ecosystems rather than against them.
In addition, Local plants They adapt to local soil and climate conditions, which means they require much less irrigation, fertilizer and ongoing maintenance than traditional lawns. All of this leads to lower water bills, lower landscaping costs, and fewer hours spent treating your lawn.
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