Tierra Verde Landscape

Helping Hand
Tips and Techniques on Creating and Keeping the Perfect Lawn
 
  

Rooting in the Root Zone

 
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Poor soil and impaired root systems often cause ailing trees in a landscape. Often a probe into the root zone beneath the tree canopy reveals problems: soil compaction, insufficient organic matter, poor fertilization and high soil pH caused by alkaline irrigation water or fertilizer treatments of turf.
Pre-requisites to healthy root development include:

  • Good pruning of organic matter

  • Organic mulch over the rooting area being sure it’s not applied against the tree trunk.

  • Correct pH

  • Adequate amounts of Mycorrizhal fungi

  • Soil/root/bacteria

Trees do best when their roots are colonized by Mycorrizhal fungi. Fungi grow out from the roots and penetrate vast volumes of soil where they efficiently absorb water and minerals, which are transported back to the roots. In this way, the tree’s ability to extract soil nutrients is increased. The fungi also benefits because they access the simple carbohydrates or sugars produced by the tree.
Several companies today are selling Mycorrizhal inoculations.

Contact Fred DeMaria Certified Arborist for more information.