Just realized a small root flare issue turned into a big problem on a Bradford pear

I was called to check a Bradford pear in a client's yard in Springfield that had some leaf drop. I saw the root flare was a bit covered with soil, maybe two inches deep, and I figured I could just clear it with a hand trowel. After I cleared it, I found a deep girdling root that had been hidden, and the tree had started to show signs of stress within a week. I learned to always probe a bit deeper around the flare, even if the cover looks shallow. Has anyone else had a tree react that fast to a hidden girdler?

3 comments

3 Comments

elliotm5721d ago

Man, that's how all hidden problems go.

smith.parker21d ago

Yeah, that "react that fast" part is why I always check for girdlers with an air spade now.

reese_rodriguez8621d ago

Saw a buddy lose a huge oak that way last fall. He missed the early signs and it was too late by the time he saw the damage.