Video | The Root of the Problem: How We’re Killing Trees Without Knowing
Watch to learn how construction unknowingly damages roots and what you can do to fix the problem.
Many people are hurting their trees, and they don't even know it. No, not up there, down here at the roots. Hi, I'm Fiona and today we're talking about roots, the most important part of the tree that you don't see.
Roots face a lot of challenges in our suburban and urban environment, especially due to root damage and compaction. I'm sure we all know that roots drink water, but they do so much more than that. Roots absorb nutrients from the soil and exchange sugars with fungus, but did you also know that roots breathe? That's right, roots breathe and roots love soil and they need open, airy soil to breathe through.
When they don't have that air, that's when the problems begin. The most common root ailment is compacted soil. This means the soil is so squished and compressed that air and sometimes water can't make it through and this can lead to suffocation or starvation of the tree.
It also makes it really, really hard for its roots to grow. So what causes compaction? Most of the time in our suburban and urban environment it is construction. And construction? Great for building, but really bad for trees. We can fix this by loosening up the soil.
We use an air spade to shoot pressurized air into the soil, adding more air, more space and more room for roots to grow. It does all of this without hurting the roots.
One of the best ways to protect your trees is to add compost and wood chips. Compost helps enhance your soil and wood chips help prevent compaction.
The next biggest problem is cutting important roots. Why are roots so important? Trees need roots to keep themselves anchored and stable, especially during strong winds.
The larger the root or the closer it is to the trunk, the more critical it is. Cutting roots inside of this zone will lead to the tree being more likely to fail. So don't cut your roots.
This can be difficult as a tree's roots might grow two to four times the span of the canopy. This means that trees need a lot more room than you might think and is especially important when you're planning on planting your new trees.
Soil compaction and construction damage are some of the most impactful and least visible dangers to your tree. If you want your trees to lead a long and healthy life, you have to remember your roots.