DFW Tree Care Focus: How Air Spading Can Save Your Trees Life
Date November 02, 2022
Category
When it comes to unhealthy trees, most of the problems originate from issues underground. Tree roots are responsible for carrying out the biological processes of a tree, absorbing and storing nutrients, water, and oxygen from the soil. The key to healthy trees is healthy roots. However, since they’re not easily visible, signs of unhealthy roots often go unnoticed before it’s too late.
Some of the most prevalent conditions affecting North Texas tree health are soil compaction, buried root flares, lack of nutrients, and improper planting. ISA Certified Arborists use air spading to combat these issues and gain valuable insight into the tree’s health for diagnosis and treatment. This blog post will uncover what air spading is, its benefits for North Texas tree health, and how it could potentially save your tree’s life.
How Does Air Spading Trees Work?
Air spading is a technique ISA Certified Arborists use to clear the soil from the tree’s base. Unlike manual digging tools, air spading is non-invasive and involves spraying controlled, highly compressed air to loosen and break up compacted soil around the tree’s roots.
The purpose of air spading is to examine the root flare below the surface. The root flare is the part of the tree’s trunk that intersects the root tissue. Uncovering this area allows Certified Arborists to diagnose and gather valuable information regarding your tree’s health and take the necessary steps for treatment. Through air spading, ISA Certified Arborists can also examine the soil grade, excavate roots that impact infrastructure, and break up compaction to add nutrient-rich soil enhancement products to improve tree health.
The value of air spading and its benefits for plant health allows for proper diagnosis of tree problems and is far less costly than leaving them untreated. Neglecting your tree’s health can lead to its decline and eventual death, along with a host of other costs monetarily and to the sustainability of DFW communities.
Before going into the benefits of air spading, it’s important to take a step back and discuss soil compaction.
What is Soil Compaction?
Soil compaction is a common issue affecting North Texas trees, and it occurs when excessive weight presses the particles of soil together tightly, reducing the space between them. Pore spaces are essential to tree health since it enables roots to grow and absorb water, oxygen, and nutrients. It also facilitates drainage. Soil compaction can take years to fix naturally, but it can be done in a day with air spading. If your trees aren’t looking their best, it could be due to compacted soil. Some causes of soil compaction are:
- Construction activity
- Heavy rain
- Foot and vehicle traffic
- Lawn maintenance
Additionally, iron chlorosis is a prevalent threat to North Texas tree health and is a result of soil compaction. If you suspect your trees are suffering from soil compaction or iron chlorosis, contact a Dallas tree care specialist at (817) 592-6846 today for a comprehensive diagnosis.
The Solution: Air Spading and Tree Root Aeration
One of the best ways to treat compacted soil is through tree root aeration, which uses an air spade to loosen the soil around the tree’s base. With tree root excavation, the ground is broken up to a more crumbly texture, and Biochar can be added. Biochar is an all-natural soil enhancement product that increases the availability of nutrients and promotes the development of beneficial microorganisms to maximize the potential of your plants. It also increases root respiration and allows for better drainage. Pore space is created in the soil, enabling fine roots to grow into the newly open space.
Air Spading Benefits for North Texas Trees
Apart from combating soil compaction, air spading offers many benefits for tree health.
- Visibility into the root flare – air spading safely exposes the root flare and allows Certified Arborists to determine whether your tree’s roots show signs of decay.
- Determine soil grade – air spading can help determine if the soil grade has changed around your tree. Changes in soil grade can impact tree health and compaction.
- Healthier roots – when air spading, a Certified Arborist can inspect the root system for any issues. Depending on the diagnosis, some roots may need to be pruned, and air spading can determine if it’s necessary to encourage new growth.
- Root barrier installation – when trees are improperly planted or too close to nearby structures like sidewalks and buildings, the roots can push and crack the concrete. Air spading allows ISA Certified Arborists to look for any large roots damaging surfaces and prune them when necessary. A root barrier can also be installed to prevent further damage.
- Improved tree growth – problems with your tree’s canopy often stem underground. By mitigating the underlying issues and with the appropriate treatment, your trees can absorb more nutrients, increase fine root density, and facilitate new, healthy growth.
Is Air Spading Right for Your Trees?
Air spading tree roots offer many benefits, and if your tree is suffering from unknown stressors that are causing reduced vigor or poor tree health, air spade services can help treat your tree before it’s too late. However, not all trees need tree root aeration, so it’s essential to contact a tree doctor for an initial diagnosis.
TreeNewal Air Spade Services
As a full-service sustainable tree care company, TreeNewal offers air spading services, tree nutrition, treatment for disease and pests, tree pruning, and more to residential and commercial property owners in Dallas, Fort Worth, Argyle, Denton, Flower Mound, Southlake, and Westlake. Our ISA Certified Arborists and tree care experts are committed to protecting customer investments and providing industry-leading tree care services. Give us a call today at (817) 592-6846 to start taking proactive care of your trees!
To learn more about DFW Tree Care Focus: How Air Spading Can Save Your Trees Life, call our Argyle and Southlake-based teams
at (817) 592-6846 or send us a message.
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Healthy trees, healthy lives.