Can this tree be saved?

[cronic82]

Recently we had a retaining wall built to correct an errosion problem. In the process the landscapers brought in more top soil and moved the soil around to level things out. My concern is for a very large tree I believe to be some type of Maple. The tree's leaves have started to turn and drop. The vine that was climbing the tree has died. I'm not sure how much soil was added to the base of the tree. My guess is several inches. Is the tree in shock or dieing? Immediate Help Needed!

 

[NeTree]

Sounds like a combination of soil compaction and roots being buried way too deep. That tree is in shock, and needs some major 9-1-1.

Get yourself an arborist out there ASAP!!!!

 

[Dan F]

I agree with Erik- get an arborist there as quickly as you can. If possible, a consulting arborist.

It is very possible that in order to save the tree, everything that was done will have to be un-done, so prepare yourself to either spend more money or lose the tree.

I can't imagine that to fix something like this would be cheap.


Dan

 

[NeTree]

Such things tend to happen when noone consults an arborist BEFORE contruction.

Man, I hate those cookie-cutter housing developments. What a waste.

 

[TREETX]

Originally posted by Dan F
so prepare yourself to either spend more money or lose the tree.

or both

.02

 

[Dan F]

TreeCo-
In your opinion, could the tree have been saved if proper contact with an arborist was made beforehand? I.e. installing some sort of aeration system between the existing grade and the new backfill? Or was it already suffering from construction damage from building the house?


Dan

 

[cronic82]

As the home owner, I can tell you there was no damage due to the building process of our home, only from the retaining wall construction. The tree was far enough from the construction site not to encounter damage. However, as our soil continued to errode out from under our sod, our yard surface needed to be extended with a slope instead of the original drop-off. The retaiing wall was necessary to hold the slope in place and therefore the rest of our yard. Believe me, we have unsuccessfully tried several different options before the wall over a 7 month time frame.

 

[NeTree]

When diagnosing a problem, we have to take into account many possibilities, one of which is new construction, as it's an all-too-common issue.

While it certainly sounds like you needed that wall, don't feel we're being accusatory. Dissecting situations like yours helps us learn and understand the dynamics of grade, soil, et-cetera better.

 

[cronic82]

No problem. Just passing along first-hand information about the situation.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

How old is the house? Is is possible thatthere was compaction done during the construction or during the land development stage?

For the tree to have dies so fast, I would not think compaction alone could do it, especially the way Dan describes. Was the water handling of the area changed drastcily so that water ponded there for long periods of time, drouned the roots out on a tree that developed in an area that was better drained?

 

[cronic82]

The house is 7 month old, and the building process took 6 months. The building of the house took place up the embankment from the tree, so no real contact was made.

Actually, I believe the tree had a few weeks to react before I posted. I loose track of time after all the on-again off- again work on the errossion problems.

The only change to the area surrounding the tree is additional soil and the use of heavy equipment. Of course, we have had frequent rain and flash flooding this summer which could have added some soil depth prior to the landscapers building the wall.