Thread: "Root Pruning Season is Here !!"

Hey...

I was just thinking of one of my first ads "Pruning Season is Here" while getting ready to go do some root pruning this morning near some sidewalks.

Going to "nip them in the bud" before they need big cuts later if they lifted the walks by ignoring them.

But that's generally been a bit labor intensive, and I don't care to do it as much in the summer.

This is not the only season I would do it, but my preferred season.

If there is one thing Oregon does not have in winter - west side - it's permafrost.

Late summer may be hotter for you but it is better for the tree. Winter should be ok unless it is big roots you are pruning.

Originally Posted by treeseer

Late summer may be hotter for you but it is better for the tree. Winter should be ok unless it is big roots you are pruning.

Today's adventure was small stuff. Mainly 1/2" to 1" roots and a few 3" ones.

Only got about 30 pounds of debris off 3 forty foot atlas cedars and 4 twenty foot tall trees in back.

Yes, I agree with the late summer prior to autumn.

I was almost expecting you to be the first reply

Originally Posted by M.D. Vaden

I was almost expecting you to be the first reply

Well it is a hot topic for me. at the asca conference dr. wells let us know that the author admits that the caution expressed on root pruning in the isa bmp's was extreme, and now agrees that the flare should always be visible.

Originally Posted by treeseer

, and now agrees that the flare should always be visible.

IM(ns)HO it should be more then the flair that is visible, but the First Order Roots should be either exposed, or on a cycle of maintenance excavation and trimming of any overlapping smaller roots.

If I could find the paper I would site Smiley et al. from BRL on showing that disorganized rootplates that overlap have a much higher rate of rootrot, and in older trees it was a near given that the root rot was present in the FOR's

My main goal in root pruning, is to go for the "little guys" heading toward hard surface while the cuts are still tiny, nipping it in the bud in advance - and small ones that haven't heaved yet.

Due to all the small landscape projects I do, I get called in while a lot of landscaping is still young - well before any specialized arborist would be involved.

So I tend to find and deal with those issues in early stages, since I'm looking for it.

Either root prune, root barrier or suggest moving sidewalks to buildings, etc..

Many landscapers really don't pay much attention to the matter, or visualize what's going on. More of them should know about it, so that a lot of these issues don't develop over 10 to 30 years and end up in the lap of the specialized arborist who gets called in at the advanced stage of the problem.

Again, this is why I don't see a difference in the basic science, knowledge and skill between landscapers and arborists. Landscapers - aside from the climbing gear, etc. - should learn to think like arborists.

Mario, I agree. Good strategy.

JPS--yeah I was pleased to hear that his view got more realistic. Something funny about that--this author of that ISA BMP is not even a Certified Arborist. That disconnect from the field might explain some of these weird notions that creep into his writing.

BLR? FOR?

Originally Posted by treeseer

Mario, I agree. Good strategy.

JPS--yeah I was pleased to hear that his view got more realistic. Something funny about that--this author of that ISA BMP is not even a Certified Arborist. That disconnect from the field might explain some of these weird notions that creep into his writing.

BLR? FOR?

I would site Smiley et al. from BRL on

Bartlett Research Labs

First Order Roots

That acronym was first used by Johnson and Haure, if I'm not mistaken.

I should have had that in parenthetically in the first paragraph. I use it enough that I am used to it.

Those being the first roots coming out of the flair, they are usually 5-7 in number in open grown trees and 3-4 in stand grown trees. A good buttress formation cannot be grown inf lower order roots overlap.

I have no experience with pruning roots in any respect. Does anyone no of any good sites and or books that give a run down and some info on it.

I.e.

When you do it?
How you do it?
Kinda the 101 on root pruning root.

Thanks

Canyon

Lots of references on pruning away from the trunk for utilities, construction etc. Nothing on pruning stem-girdling roots I know of before page 8 here http://www.tcia.org/PDFs/TCI_Mag_July_07.pdf ; that's why it was written.

Originally Posted by Canyonbc

I have no experience with pruning roots in any respect. Does anyone no of any good sites and or books that give a run down and some info on it.

I.e.

When you do it?
How you do it?
Kinda the 101 on root pruning root.

Thanks

Canyon

Minnesota has A Practioner's Guide to Stem Girdling Roots that is pretty good on that topic.

I have found that the AirKnife (or Air Spade if you prefer - 2 brands doing the same thing) often makes the decisions easy. You can see exactly what is going on.

Originally Posted by M.D. Vaden

Due to all the small landscape projects I do, I get called in while a lot of landscaping is still young - well before any specialized arborist would be involved.

So I tend to find and deal with those issues in early stages, since I'm looking for it.

Either root prune, root barrier or suggest moving sidewalks to buildings, etc..

Many landscapers really don't pay much attention to the matter, or visualize what's going on. More of them should know about it, so that a lot of these issues don't develop over 10 to 30 years and end up in the lap of the specialized arborist who gets called in at the advanced stage of the problem.

Again, this is why I don't see a difference in the basic science, knowledge and skill between landscapers and arborists. Landscapers - aside from the climbing gear, etc. - should learn to think like arborists.

Just removed a wind-thrown Yellow Popular yesterday. Looked at the root-ball, at least 1/3 of roots were dead, probably killed (cut) by the installation of a retaining wall. The tree went over in the wind due to lack of support.

The frequency of trees planted improperly is astounding, an enormous number of tree problems would be prevented by proper installation.

I heard that Milwaukee demo'd one of those big curb root cutters back in the late 70's early 80's.

They had a whole block of trees go over in a strong wind.

Originally Posted by John Paul Sanborn

I heard that Milwaukee demo'd one of those big curb root cutters back in the late 70's early 80's.

They had a whole block of trees go over in a strong wind.

I just took one of those types down in the city by where I live, was in terrible shape, utility trimmed several times leaving the back(house) side heavy, the road side of the root sys. was heaved and the only thing keeping it from going on to the home owners house was the cable & bell lines.

after gettin it down the whole center was completely gone & only about 2-3 inches of outer hold wood was keepin her aloft, so bad you could look through the base and see the curb & road!!!

Dont know & have never done root pruning but it is of interest to me!! the info from you guys helps!! thanks!

LXT............