I finally checked the soil compaction around a 20-year-old oak we lost last month and the numbers were scary

We had to take down this huge red oak in a homeowner's backyard near Austin. Looked healthy from the outside but the roots were basically strangling themselves. Dug into the soil profile and the bulk density was like 1.8 g/cm3 in the top 6 inches. That's basically concrete. Found a study from Texas A&M that says anything over 1.6 stops root growth dead. Now I'm wondering how many other trees I've been treating for pests or disease when the real problem was just packed dirt. Anyone else ever run compaction tests on a job and find something that changed how you approach a site?

3 comments

3 Comments

terry_carter1526d ago

Whoa, 1.8 g/cm3? That's insane (and honestly, kind of terrifying). Can't believe how tight that soil must have been, like trying to grow roots in a brick. Definitely makes you wonder how many other "sick" trees are just suffocating in their own dirt.

the_nina26d ago

Did you check the soil around the trunk or just dig a few inches down? I've seen people water trees every day thinking they're helping, but with dirt that tight, all that water just sits and rots the roots instead of soaking in. Makes me wonder if half the time when an arborist says "too much water," the real problem is actually that the soil is too compact for any drainage to happen. Have you seen the difference between a tree that's overwatered vs one that's drowning because the soil is basically concrete?

faith68425d ago

Notices it everywhere now, parking lots are the worst offenders.