Covering Exposed Mountain Ash Roots & Fertilizer Burn
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Covering Exposed Mountain Ash Roots & Fertilizer Burn
I have a large mountain ash tree with exposed roots in a lawn area. The roots are exposed just above the level of the lawn, but extend outwards to about 10 feet.
A few years ago, I didn't know any better and put lawn fertilizer in this area. This caused fertilizer burn and the tree dropped all of its leaves. The tree came back okay in subsequent years, but the roots are still exposed. This year I had to fertilize the lawn again and it looks like some fertilizer again made it's way to the tree (it dropped about 1/3 of its leaves then appears to have stabilized).
Obviously, I need to be more careful with the fertilizer, but I'm wondering if covering the exposed roots may help to minimize this problem in the future.
Are there any risks associated with covering those roots? Is it okay to just move soil into the root areas and raise the level of the lawn by a few inches? I read somewhere that this can "shock" the tree and cause problems--I can't find that site again, so I wanted to check here with you all.
Thanks in advance!
A few years ago, I didn't know any better and put lawn fertilizer in this area. This caused fertilizer burn and the tree dropped all of its leaves. The tree came back okay in subsequent years, but the roots are still exposed. This year I had to fertilize the lawn again and it looks like some fertilizer again made it's way to the tree (it dropped about 1/3 of its leaves then appears to have stabilized).
Obviously, I need to be more careful with the fertilizer, but I'm wondering if covering the exposed roots may help to minimize this problem in the future.
Are there any risks associated with covering those roots? Is it okay to just move soil into the root areas and raise the level of the lawn by a few inches? I read somewhere that this can "shock" the tree and cause problems--I can't find that site again, so I wanted to check here with you all.
Thanks in advance!
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Hi Newt,
It sounds like you have a choice - tree or unfertilized lawn. There shouldn't be any turf grass under the canopy of the tree. Surface roots are more pronounced on some trees then others. Covering the roots with more then an inch or two of soil is not good for the tree and can harm it over the long run. Using a couple of inches will just be temporary as the roots will rise again.
I would suggest you remove the grass under the canopy of the tree and add a couple of inches of mulch. These sites will explain it all.
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/Garden/02926.html
http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/trees_turf.aspx
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/MG/MG08900.pdf
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/WO017
http://www.mortonarb.org/research/treeroots.html
http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/mulching.aspx
http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/mature_care.aspx
Newt
It sounds like you have a choice - tree or unfertilized lawn. There shouldn't be any turf grass under the canopy of the tree. Surface roots are more pronounced on some trees then others. Covering the roots with more then an inch or two of soil is not good for the tree and can harm it over the long run. Using a couple of inches will just be temporary as the roots will rise again.
I would suggest you remove the grass under the canopy of the tree and add a couple of inches of mulch. These sites will explain it all.
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/Garden/02926.html
http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/trees_turf.aspx
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/MG/MG08900.pdf
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/WO017
http://www.mortonarb.org/research/treeroots.html
http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/mulching.aspx
http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/mature_care.aspx
Newt