Big Hole In My Yard

[M.D. Vaden]

FILLING ROOT FLAIR HOLE

Greetings from Oregon !

I missed the original discussion leading to your digging, but I assume that the tree was positioned too deep in some fashion.

Anyway, I have a picture in mind from what you have said.

Unless it would cause a hazard, why not fill it with foliage.

For example, if you filled it with a mass of ferns - planted at the lower grade - the leaves would fill the void and give the effect of a ground cover.

In Oregon, the Wester Sword Fern grows 2 to 3 feet tall. A fern like that would not only fill a 1' deep cavity, it would also place foliage above the existing grade.

Its a suggestion - also other shrubs or plants in mass can do the same effect.

Mario Vaden
Landscape Designer / Arborist

www.mdvaden.com

M.D. Vaden - Trees & Landscapes
Beaverton, Oregon

 

[CityUF]

Try the rock idea

Round smooth river type rock works well for such a small site. Think of rocks that look like good skipping stones but the size of your hand. lay them flat to make the ground level.
You shouldn't really walk on them for any reason and keep the mower off to prevent the rocks scraping against the trunk.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Mice site Mario, now you need some pics of established projects, what do they look like five years later.

I've been doing some more basal exams with my air tool and have been recomending using sun tolerant hasta and the like in some of these depressions. One was real shady because it is a low kept Acer p. 'Crimson king'

The round stone works well too, I usualy say something bigger then pea gravel that wont get ckiked into the lawn and cause problems with the mower.

Coarse, decorative bark chip seems good too.

The thing to remember is that if it is covered up, the tree will need to be excavated every few years to trip epicormic roots.