Fill dirt harmful to trees ?

[JeffHK454]

Hello, I have a small ravine on my property that I have decided to start filling in. The question is will the trees that fall below my desired finish grade line be damaged/killed by pushing dirt around them? I would be adding as much as 4-6 feet of fill around some of the trees !

Thanks, Jeff

 

[computeruser]

Once you add more than an inch or two of soil on top of existing roots you run a risk of harming the tree. Even those unsightly "tree wells" you see in so many new construction neighborhoods are no solution and the trees generally die within a couple years. As a general rule, if you add enough soil (or plant a tree to deeply) that you cannot see the root flare at the base of the trunk, you are inviting problems. And if you are intending to truly add four to six feet of soil to the existing grade, you can pretty much assume that the trees in that area will be killed.

 

[Newfie]

Dead, not damaged.

 

[ASD]

What Type Of Trees Are Their It Makes A Diff.

 

[Ekka]

4' to 6'

Dead is what you'll get, tree roots need air, that's why the bulk of them are in the top 1' ... perhaps in sand etc a bit deeper.

Time to use them saws ... or forget regrading.

 

[JeffHK454]

Almost all Hickory, I think I'll hold off for 40 or 50 years on that little project!

Thanks, ya saved some trees !

Jeff