So now what? (Air spade work)

climbhightree

climbhightree

Branched out member
Location
Lebanon, Pa USA
I have a job where several years ago, when the house was built, the treed were buried. The homeowner doesn't want to wall/well the trees. What he would like is to put in river rock to grade level.

I have used the Air spade to do girdling roots and restore trees planted to low. But never for something this extensive. Second picture, I am going to just recommend he takes it down. I went down about 3 feet and still didn't find roots. The other trees range from few inches to a 1 1/2 feet.

Do I just put the the river rock in? Or should I put in a weed/silt barrier in first (to help keep the rock from just filling up with dirt)?

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Similar topic covered here.

As I said there, I don't like the idea of adding rocks. They drain better than soil, but they still shade the pit and hold moisture against the tree. I say leave it open, and dig out a drain (or install a french drain) at a minimum.

These kinds of excavations really call for a landscaper, not an arborist (IMO). I am still debating about whether to become one, hire one, or find one to refer people to.
 
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Similar topic covered here.



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Wrong link...I don't see any replies to that post. But I do know which one you were talking about. It wasn't long ago, I was following it due to this job. I'll look for it.

I forgot to say. They are mostly all White ash trees. I didnt take a accurate count yet, but I think it is about 10 trees. All the trees are surprisingly healthy at this point...even the second picture one.

Customer would like the stones due to mowing purposes. Plus it does look better than having pits every where...whether they are walled or not.
 
I like to use expanded aggregate for its porosity and flat rock for the surface to keep a lot of litter out, and appearance.

Open with a 45 degree slope and shredded mulch is better, but higher maintenance andliability. It's hard to fight gravity.

green ash send out new roots aggressively, and can hold its breath well. That rootless white ash, maybe just fill back and waitandsee. at the very least get your client's *(&^%&^$%*^U&)(* mower away7 from them--there HAS to be a compromise.

Babs, arborists care for trees. Why is this not arborist work?
 
Put the money in planting new trees! The owner would be much better off. Probably not as much money in it for the arborist though.
 
I blew the soil off the trunk and primary flares, then pruned the roots; tree problem solved (to some extent), landscape problem magnified.

I'm not going to say this is not arborist work, but I am an arborist who feels unprepared to do it. Landscapers routinely work with masons to build walls and sidewalks, so they can build wells. They routinely build french drains, so why do I need to get involved in that? I just don't spend much time moving large amounts of earth. I don't have the staff or the equipment for it and I have to charge too much to meet my climber-based insurance requirements.

I still hate walking away from the ugly aftermath of an airspade job saying, "well, you'll want to get a landscaper to do something with that." It feels like a recipe for losing customers. But I think landscapers are better equipped and prepared to do the work.
 
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"well, you'll want to get a landscaper to do something with that." It feels like a recipe for losing customers. But I think landscapers are better equipped and prepared to do the work.

[/ QUOTE ] Yeah it sucks to pass a task on, knowing it may not get done or get done poorly. But for filling excavated areas you can buy the aggregate http://www.volebloc.com/Volebloc_Barrier.html and rock by the bag; dump, spread and level, putting it against the trunk flare or not, depending on the tree.

Unless I am missing something here, no masons needed; just landscape fabric against the dirt before dumping the rock. Not much time involved, once you find a good source and stock up. I spent $200 for a 6' pallet of flat river rock for the surface levels; it will last a lonnnnng time.
 
Yes, sounds easy, but you apparently forget that I'm the guy who keeps saying I don't like the idea of filling the space with rocks. Also, I don't like landscape fabrics. Maybe we're all getting a hint as to why I'm not a landscaper.
 
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Yes, sounds easy, but you apparently forget that I'm the guy who keeps saying I don't like the idea of filling the space with rocks. Also, I don't like landscape fabrics. Maybe we're all getting a hint as to why I'm not a landscaper.

[/ QUOTE ]hm no ladders no rocks no fabric...your mind seems made up.

i'll post some pics; this is getting nowhere slowly.
 
We do both Tree work and landscaping/light excavation so we're covered, my advice would be to find a landscaper who has the same work ethic as you and use them exclusively, the two way referalls can help both of you. I do referalls with a couple of lawn care companies and it works out well.
 
Put up a small barrier around the trunk. This was only to prevent people from slipping into the excavated area.

jp
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