Mulch Volcano Issue

LeafLimb

LeafLimb

Location
Raleigh, NC
I have a client with a multitude of trees that were installed 8 years ago. Just about every one of these trees is dying. Each of the trees has a large pile of mulch around its base (mulch volcanoes). We feel certain that this issue is what is killing his trees.

My problem is this:. I pulled some of the mulch away from various trees and found that there are an abundance of small roots growing in these piles of mulch. As you can imagine, a lot of small root growth has happened over the last 8 years. But in order to remove this mulch and excavate the root collar, we will have to remove all these small roots growing in the pile. This surely cannot be healthy. But on the other hand, if we do nothing, these trees will die. Given that the tree installation project cost the client a small fortune, he is desperate for a solution.

Any ideas? Can we remove these piles around the base of each tree and simply cut away the small roots? Can an 8-10 year old tree survive this process? Or will losing all these small roots kill the trees? Is there a book or reference that discusses what to do in this situation?

Any help is much appreciated!
 
Yes- get rid of those roots. They should have never been there in the first place.

Getting rid of them may cause a slight and noticeable decline in the tree right now, but leaving the mulch there WILL kill the trees.

After a while, the trees will recover from the work you do.

love
nick
 
It won't do any good, but I would contact the installer. They are responsible for this. They should pay. They won't, but at least you might be able to get them to stop doing this in the future.

(this is all assuming the initial installer put the mulch there)

No pics?
 
[ QUOTE ]
WE did this on a job today!! we do it all of the time!!

[/ QUOTE ]

I have done the same as well. Those few roots isn't as bad as the potential for some sort of trunk rot.
 
Check the rest of the install while you are getting rid of the mulch volcano. It frequently isn't the only problem. High/low planting. No removal of packing material. Plainly poor root structure.
 
I appreciate the feedback thus far. I am going to attach a few pics, as well as provide a bit more information based on the comments above.

- We do use an Air Spade. Moving the dirt/mulch is no problem, it is the roots that are a problem. I have attached a pic that shows the extent of the root mass.

- To those of you who say to cut the roots, would you do it when there are this many roots? (see pic)

- Assuming cutting the roots is indeed the right course of action, should we follow up with some kind of nutrient drench/fertilizer/foliar spray to help the tree recover?

- @fireaxe: Yes, they do have all the things you have listed: high/low planting, straps around the base of the trunk, wire basket in the ground, etc. Whoever installed these trees should be ashamed.
 
Here is another pic. This one is particularly bad. This is the roots that were in the pile after we blew as much mulch away as possible with the Air Spade. This is a lot of roots! Can it really be healthy to cut these away? I know that if we don't then the tree will die, but I'm pretty sure if we cut all these roots the tree will just die faster. Thoughts?
 

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Is there a book or reference that discusses what to do in this situation?"

attached, again.

"Can we remove these piles around the base of each tree and simply cut away the small roots? Can an 8-10 year old tree survive this process? Or will losing all these small roots kill the trees?"

Possibly. You have exposed a lot of roots, and this is not the best time of year. I'd consider doing the north side now and coming back to prune more in late summer. also observe what's called a porpoise root on the left, curving over the dam donut.

"Any help is much appreciated!"

You could hire your experienced friendly local consulting arborist for an hour or two. I'll be in N Raleigh today...
 
Just my 2 cents Canadian (but at least its at par!)

I would not use any chemical fertilizers until the tree re-establishes, if it does. I would use compost and for a quick fix, maybe compost tea. I don't have science to back the efficacy of compost tea, but any purely organic liquid nutrient seems like a good idea.

I've never seen anything this dramatic in our climate here. It's too dry for that many roots to etablish in mulch (I think). But, before cutting them away, would it not be prudent to try and assess whether there are any remaining useful proper roots below them. Is it possible that the tree is supporting itself mostly or entirely on these? It's just a question. I have no real idea about what happens to trees and how they respond other than up here in our weird place.
 
There's always the third alternative of air spading down to the original root flare and leaving the advantitous roots alone to drink in oxygen until some degree of equilibrium establishes itself naturally?

Jomoco
 
Right there is a good argument for not mulching over the root ball of a tree, instead mulching beyond it. It looks like all the new root growth was concentrated to the area that offered the best rooting environment, right under the much. Mulching wide here should have directed those roots away from the tree instead of in circles.

I'm not a pro at roots but i'm working hard to better understand them, particularly post planting.


Nora, when you say "our weird place" you mean Alberta right? Not the rest of the country?


vince
 
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