Lucombe oak root health help !

[Tommy Hutchinson]

This Lucombe oak Quercus x hispanica “Lucombeana” has been subject to damage, recently they scraped away a large area of soil and replaced it with lime gravel. Not only did they dig through the trees fibrous feeding roots they also damaged the buttress roots. The damage is not life threatening but is still unaccptable.

 

This tree has adapted to its environment over the years and is a fine species of Lucombe oak, it has seen a road built right though its root system and lots of damage to its base.

 

What’s the best way to insure the future health of this tree?

 

 

•fence of the area and aerate the soil with a air spade and then add healthy soil bio char (this area would cover the gravel section of the area you can see)??

 

•should this tree be left, as it has adapted to its environment and more damage would be done if the above methods were to be used?

 

The adventurous root would of now spread beyond the crown spread but that there are still roots that need helping and could help this tree more by protecting and creating a healthy humus and topsoil soil layers.

 

At the moment they just want to protect the base of the tree, but Arb professionals I talk to say that Aeration, adding bio char and may be even mycorrihza inoculation will help this tree.

 

Here are some pictures of the situation.

 

In the first picture you can see the gravel area, this is the area that could be fenced off.

 

 

 

Edited June 3, 2013 by Tommy Hutchinson

[Tommy Hutchinson]

Why has no one replied to my thread ?

[treeseer]

Why has no one replied to my thread ?

Hard to comment without knowing more about condition of the tree and the soil. Have you extracted cores of soil? Do you know how many inches of soil was graded away? In the crown, what is the twig extension the last 3 years? etc.

 

Details provided, while useful, aren't enough to base specs on. as for "lots of damage to its base", we see one patch of bark dislodged. I would suggest tracing this wound and consider use of a sealant/disinfectant.

 

That, and require a bond by any grading contractor to mitigate any future damage.

 

We can say "damage is unacceptable", but what choice do we have but to accept it?

 

Why was the gravel applied? Can it be removed, or is it needed for vehicles? etc.

Edited June 5, 2013 by treeseer

[Tommy Hutchinson]

Thanks for your reply. It helps.

 

The tree is in full leaf and seems perfectly healthy, but there would be no sign of decline for a few years though, as the tree has plenty of energy reserves for new growth.

 

They have dug around 8to10 inches into the soil so they have disturbed/destroyed roots and the soil has been compacted for a long time.

 

The college I go too are short of parking places (thats why the lime! gravel was applied) and a compromise has to be made. So we cannot close of the whole area off.

 

We are going to protect the base of the tree creating a small root protection area for a short term solution, but the long term plan may be to place down CellWeb Tree Root Protection System (depending on price).

 

Yes I have accepted the damage and the college realise they made a mistake, but the college sight is classed by Natural England as “an area outstanding beauty” and the college need to respect the trees and take full responsibility for the trees as there are no TPO’S because the college have been entrusted by the local council because of there Arboricultural, Horticultural and Forestry staff, to maintain the trees/plants on the grounds.

 

As an environmental college they need to relise how inmportant trees are to the environment and I would like the college to learn from this act in a proffesional Arboricultural way, so I am looking for the best solutions for the future health of this tree.

 

As Lucombe oaks are a newfound hybrid from around 130 years go they have no predicted life span yet so from a tree enthusiast point of view it would be good for me to set in motion the preservation of this tree for a number of beneficial I do not need to explain here on this site.

[treeseer]

'Thanks for your reply. It helps.

You're welcome.

 

"The tree is in full leaf and seems perfectly healthy, but there would be no sign of decline for a few years though, as the tree has plenty of energy reserves for new growth.

 

How do you know? Measuring twigs helps measure those reserves.

 

"They have dug around 8to10 inches into the soil so they have disturbed/destroyed roots and the soil has been compacted for a long time.

 

How compacted for how long? You must examine roots and soil--do they have soil probes at the school, or just bulldozers?

 

"As an environmental college they need to relise how inmportant trees are to the environment and I would like the college to learn from this act in a proffesional Arboricultural way, so I am looking for the best solutions for the future health of this tree.

 

"As Lucombe oaks are a newfound hybrid from around 130 years go they have no predicted life span yet

 

Just as well--those numbers have little use due to trees' regenerative potential.

 

"so from a tree enthusiast point of view it would be good for me to set in motion the preservation of this tree for a number of beneficial I do not need to explain here on this site.

 

All good but you must first ask the tree the right questions and look in the right places for the answers.

[likeitorlumpit]

It looks like they have removed a foot of topsoil from around the base of the tree- is that correct?

What was under the tree before the recent drive?- I mean was it soil or some other hardstanding?

A 'before' photo would help!

Edited June 6, 2013 by likeitorlumpit
forgot

[Tommy Hutchinson]

Thanks again for your response/s.

 

You raise some interesting points, that may be we have not looked at enough in depth here on the level three course.

 

I am out of my depth in the solutions for this tree, and the “where to look” and “diagnose” the tree (I wont be after the project is finished). , but it’s all a leaning curve and I love it It takes alot of experience to take on these jobs.

 

If I had not stood my ground and thought for this trees health, the college would have just gone on regardless.

 

We have a someone coming in from East Devon Tee Care called Matt Shute to help with a management plan and I can safely say that we are in safe hands, as he has an in depth knowledge of these kinds of situations.

 

Its hard to tell what was put down in the top soil probably hardcore and rocks plus loads of un organic "stuff".

 

The tree has survived well. But I fear for its future.

 

Here are some more pictures of the damage.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 6, 2013 by Tommy Hutchinson

[Tommy Hutchinson]

"How compacted for how long? You must examine roots and soil--do they have soil probes at the school, or just bulldozers?"

 

I will be asking some questions about soil probes, and yes there more bulldozers than "tree huggers" here. As for how long soil compaction has been going on for i would say good 50 years of heavy compaction may be more.

[likeitorlumpit]

To me it looks like there was a lot of old hardcore disturbed during the course of these works. It's very probable that the tree has adapted to this over time and the new drive preparations have not been so detrimental to it's health. I would have thought keeping an eye on how the tree reacts would be a good idea and response as required. You've heard the phrase- If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[treeseer]

Damage is obvious; "wait and see" might result in "too late to fix it".

 

Good luck to Matt: looks like quite a challenge with all those soil and root issues.