I finally changed how I do root collar excavations after a tip from a retired forester

Had a guy watch me dig out a maple on a job in Portland last spring. He said I was getting too aggressive with the air spade too close to the trunk. He showed me how he works from the drip line inward and goes slower near the base. Now I take an extra 15 minutes per tree and I'm seeing way less bark damage on the main roots. Anyone else get a tip that slowed you down but made your work cleaner?

2 comments

2 Comments

emery_taylor4d ago

Have you found that working slower near the base also helps you spot things like girdling roots or early decay you might have missed before? I tried this a few years back after reading about it in an old tree care manual, and it made a big difference in how clean the work looks once you're done. Taking that little bit of extra time really does pay off in the long run.

seanjohnson1d ago

Pushed through a big red oak last spring and found a girdling root I would have totally missed if I was rushing. That slower pace around the base lets you feel the soil for weird bumps or soft spots, not just eyeball it. Did you catch any hidden root flares that needed exposing on that last job, or was it more about spotting decay pockets starting up near the trunk collar?