Asphalt Scorch?

[marlinspiker]

I just had a client who got a new asphalt driveway installed and one of their Ash Trees almost completely defoliated. It was the only tree directly over the work zone. It had a bit of antracnose last year but the day after he asphalt was put down it dropped a crazy amount of leaves. Has anyone ever seen a tree drop leaves like this from the heat of asphalt? I think they may have disturbed the root system a bit as well despite what they say. We have done some root feeding to hopefully alleviate stress.

 

[fireaxe]

The exhaust from the equipment does a number on them. Not sure if it is the CO in the exhaust or the heat from either the machine or the asphalt. I have seen similar problems with soil compactors used adjacent to rows of shrubs. Line of dead tissue at 12" height.

 

[nuthin_special]

Our city used a "hot in place" process to resurface roads. It left a streak of scorched foliage up and down the roads. Normal paving never does this.

I would guess that this "hot in place" process would scorch a whole tree if it moved more slowly, like in a driveway paving job.

I've never seen scorching after a residential driveway job using conventional methods. Just soil compaction and root damage.


vince