Root Collar Excavation

Treezybreez said:
Ehem :endesacuerdo:, so let's put this derail back on track.

How far out from the trunk flair do you look for girdling roots? It's probably a case by case basis, but I thought I would ask anyway.
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Maybe I should rephrase that. At what distance from the trunk of a tree does a girdling root not become an issue?
 
Just saw this one today. I've had a bit of experience with root pruning. I feel confident making decisions about what can't and can be cut. But this one I was like "there's nothing you can do."

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love
nick
 
STEM girdling roots are bad. Root girdling roots are pretty ok. Stem tissue transitions into root tissue about halfway down the buttress root.

Nick you *might* improve the situation by pruning/scraping bark where they touch to encourage grafting. but that would be experimental i admit.
 
It sounds somewhat complicated, but it seems to me that in theory at least it has grea potential. Thinking of framing a shed with 2x4s beefing up the corners with the angle piece (I'm not a carpenter, don't know how to say that properly but maybe I've described it clear enough. )
You could totally bypass the girdling root/stem contact zone. The graft builds the root flare, and as it beefs up, it eventually compartmentalizes the old contact zone.
Even @NickfromWI post, it can't get much worse-give it a try
 
Been doing this work 15-20 years and can think of 5 or so cases that might have been worth the effort.

But it's been done on trees girdled by ring-barking so it's a theoretically viable option.
 
Hi guys,

I just planted a Monterrey Oak and it doesn't have much visible root flare. It was in a 30gal container and is maybe 9 ft tall.

I would have already excavated, but there is a fairly dense mesh of fine roots all the way up to the soil surface. Should that be excavated away, or left alone?

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Yeah...container and even many b&b stock can be problematic from the jump. Recommend picking out and pre-inspecting your own at the nursery and expressing your concerns. If they're not receptive...take your biz elsewhere!
Find the flair.
 
guymayor said:
Breaking and clearing hairy roots is not excessive damage. Find the flare! (preferably before buying)

here's 2 writeups
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Interestingly one of those says this, "Removing soil must be done with
caution, to ensure that fine roots are not exposed."
 
I found the flare a couple inches down. Planting height looks good.

There is definitely some confusion in these roots. I'm going to read through that material before I go further. The root on the left takes a hard right turn and goes behind the tree (not down). These aren't the buttress roots though, right?
 

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i think Nicks gotta graft at least it looks that way on the upper part of the bulge and stem intersect. The underside looks girdled
Nose the bar and excavate out all along/around a stem girdler. give it enough space to grow out not just
release the pressure, Like a doughnut. leave some intact or death is enivitable.
Grafting/micro surgery/wounds at the intersect works. thousands of examples occur naturally.
Many many man made ones as well
 
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