Gardening and Horticulture - Putting in a tree ring planter around Scotch Pine
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kimilou
05-24-09, 07:20 PM
Hi
I am putting in a tree ring planter around a Scotch Pine tree. It will be a circle, 3 feet around all sides of the tree, and the landscaping blocks are only built up 8 inches high to form the planter. The tree is about 20 feet high, it was moved from another location and planted in our yard about 7 years ago, the tree itself is about 15 years old.
When I put the fill dirt into the planter, will it be safe to put the dirt against the tree's trunk 8 inches deep? If I need to keep the dirt away from the trunk, any suggestions on what materials to use and how to do this? Thanks!!
I am putting in a tree ring planter around a Scotch Pine tree. It will be a circle, 3 feet around all sides of the tree, and the landscaping blocks are only built up 8 inches high to form the planter. The tree is about 20 feet high, it was moved from another location and planted in our yard about 7 years ago, the tree itself is about 15 years old.
When I put the fill dirt into the planter, will it be safe to put the dirt against the tree's trunk 8 inches deep? If I need to keep the dirt away from the trunk, any suggestions on what materials to use and how to do this? Thanks!!
Newt
06-24-09, 07:41 PM
Hi Kimilou,
Wish I had seen this post sooner. What you are building is what arborists call a tree coffin. You should never add more then 2" of mulch or soil over tree roots or you risk a slow death to your tree by smothering the tree roots. The rootflare should remain visible. Here's more info.
http://www.tlcfortrees.info/planting%20depth.htm
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/02926.html
http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/trees_turf.aspx
http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/plantedtoodeeply.shtml
http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/overmulched.shtml
http://www.mortonarb.org/deeptreeroots/rec.html
http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/mulching.aspx
I would recommend you remove the tree ring and plant directly in the ground if you must plant.
Newt
Wish I had seen this post sooner. What you are building is what arborists call a tree coffin. You should never add more then 2" of mulch or soil over tree roots or you risk a slow death to your tree by smothering the tree roots. The rootflare should remain visible. Here's more info.
http://www.tlcfortrees.info/planting%20depth.htm
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/02926.html
http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/trees_turf.aspx
http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/plantedtoodeeply.shtml
http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/overmulched.shtml
http://www.mortonarb.org/deeptreeroots/rec.html
http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/mulching.aspx
I would recommend you remove the tree ring and plant directly in the ground if you must plant.
Newt