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?

4 comments

4 Comments

elliotm572mo ago

Man, that's how all hidden problems go.

martin.riley1mo 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.

smith.parker2mo ago

Yeah, that "react that fast" part is why I always check for girdlers with an air spade now.

reese_rodriguez862mo 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.