Purchasing an Air Spade (1st Spade Job)

Fatcord

Fatcord

Just finished a volunteer pruning job for the high school baseball/softball teams. Huge oaks have sever soil compaction. Is it best to do circles around the main stem if so how many, how deep and should any organic material be added to amend the soil? after wards i was going to lay 3 inches of mulch. the soil arriation is not going to be free. coaches of both teams want me to construct plans to keep busses, other vehicles and foot traffic away from the trees.
 
For mature trees, well generally strip as much sod as we can, or in the absence of turf just establish the largest mulch ring we can. We'll topdress with compost over the established area to be mulched and then using the gun, we incorporate it into the soil while simultaneously breaking up the soil compaction. Go over the area several times and you should be able to break up the profile deeper each time as you go.

Use this opportunity to take a look at the trunk and flare roots as well since you'll already have a mess going! Hope you like getting dirty! I wouldn't recommend keeping a phone or wallet in your pants when you do it either!
 
power went out. How much soil should I actually air spade and what type of compost is acceptable? there is no turf at all.
 
Look into doing a radial trenching configuration, at least 3-5 inches deep, preferably 6-10...this artificially creates a sweet root development zone into which new fine roots can develop. Replace the soil with a mix of fully composted manure, soil and then mulch an area as far out from the trunk to the drip line as the folks are OK looking at. Begin the trenches near the trunk flare, but be careful with the air spade that you don't blow the bark off the tree, especially if it's wet.
I have some pictures of two mature sugar maples we did this with I'll try to find them.
Add mycorrhizae and make sure the tree will be watered when supplemental water is needed.
The Air Spade is a great tool.
Definitely wear eye protection and if there are windows or other things nearby construct a screen out of plywood and some hinges to set up for a sheild as you blast out the compacted soil.
Good luck!
 
I know Bartlett has some information regarding radial trenching on their website. I've tried it on a couple of trees but haven't really found it was too successful. The fern leaf beech is in the final stages of decline so I might have gotten to it too late but also added compost tea and mycorrhizae. The cucumber magnolia doesn't seem to have responded to the treatment for better or worse. Unfortunately I don't have any data to quantify the results of either treatment.
 
Look up research on Christina Well out of Clemson. I recently listened to her give a talk on air spading. If I am not mistaken she found that just adding mulch over the top when you were done is just as beneficial as incorporating it. May save you a TON of time in the job.
 
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