By Jeff Floyd
Certified horticulturist and arborist
Most newly planted trees tend to live only between seven to fifteen years. This is awful since many can survive hundreds of years in their native setting. Trees almost never die overnight although we tend to perceive it that way. Those in urban landscapes fall victim to multiple problems like inadequate soil volume, too much or too little water, weed killers, and over-pruning just to name a few. But one of the most frequent reasons for a tree to decline is caused by us, and it happens on the first day it is planted.
Planting trees too deeply is a common mistake and professionals are just as guilty as first-time tree owners. The swollen location at the point where the roots flare away from the stem should be planted above the soil line. This part of the tree, known as the root collar, is a significant location for the exchange of gasses both into and out of the tree. Where the collar is buried, toxic gases build up, water remains too long, and less oxygen is available.
This poor planting technique limits the ability of roots to grow outward. Instead, they often grow around the collar, eventually cutting off the root system from the top of the tree. As the roots grow in thickness, they crush the cells just under the bark. These special cells transport vital sugars and nutrients to the roots. Roots slowly starve and die. The result is a tree that grows slowly, has small leaves, dying twigs, dull color, and generally appears weak.
A properly planted tree eliminates these problems by getting the root collar up and out of this killing zone. The flare of the largest roots should be visible after a tree is planted. Even if it is accidentally planted a little too high, this is much less harmful than burying the root collar. A great site to learn more about caring for trees is www.treesaregood.org.
