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Just realized a small root flare issue turned into a big problem on a Bradford pear
I was called to check a Bradford pear in a client's yard in Springfield that had some leaf drop. I saw the root flare was a bit covered with soil, maybe two inches deep, and I figured I could just clear it with a hand trowel. After I cleared it, I found a deep girdling root that had been hidden, and the tree had started to show signs of stress within a week. I learned to always probe a bit deeper around the flare, even if the cover looks shallow. Has anyone else had a tree react that fast to a hidden girdler?
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elliotm575mo ago
Man, that's how all hidden problems go.
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martin.riley4mo ago
Have you ever found that the soil right around the flare can feel compacted even when it looks loose? I had a similar thing with a red maple last spring where I just scratched the topsoil and found a root wrapped tight about an inch down, but I only saw it because I used a little screwdriver to poke around first. The tree dropped leaves within two days after I cut it free, which scared me, but then it bounced back in a month. Now I always stick a thin metal rod in the dirt around the base before I even start digging. That little trick saved me a nasty surprise on a big silver maple last fall too.
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smith.parker5mo ago
Yeah, that "react that fast" part is why I always check for girdlers with an air spade now.
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reese_rodriguez865mo ago
Saw a buddy lose a huge oak that way last fall. He missed the early signs and it was too late by the time he saw the damage.
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