Root Collar Excavation & AirSpade Work

A surprising number of tree problems begin underground.

The base of a tree should normally widen where the trunk transitions into the major structural roots. When that root flare is buried beneath excess soil, mulch or fill, problems can develop slowly over many years.

Root collar excavation allows us to expose this area and see what's actually happening.

Woodwitch uses an AirSpade to move soil with compressed air, allowing careful excavation around roots with far less risk of damaging them than conventional digging.

Root collar excavation may be useful when:

• The trunk enters the ground like a telephone pole with no visible root flare
• A tree was planted too deeply
• Mulch or soil has accumulated around the trunk
• Girdling roots are suspected
• The tree is declining without an obvious above-ground cause
• Construction or landscaping has altered the soil around the tree
• The condition of major roots needs to be inspected

Girdling roots

Roots occasionally grow across or around the base of a tree rather than away from it. As both the trunk and root increase in diameter, the root can compress the trunk or other structural roots.

Whether a girdling root should be removed depends on its size, location and importance to the tree. Cutting roots indiscriminately can cause more harm than leaving them alone.

Excavation lets us see the situation clearly before deciding what — if anything — should be done.

Diagnosis before treatment

Root collar excavation isn't something every declining tree needs. It's a diagnostic and corrective tool for specific situations.

Our goal is to expose the root flare, evaluate the structure below grade and make the least disruptive intervention that gives the tree the best chance of remaining healthy.

Woodwitch Arboriculture provides root collar excavation and AirSpade work throughout Asheville and Western North Carolina.