Massive Volcano w Girdling Root

[JoeT]

How can I treat this sever mulch volcano problem?  Red maple planted about 20 years ago with retaining block ring.  Volcano is about 16" high and 6 feet in diameter.

[Steve Bullman]

Hi Joe, basically nothing i'm afraid, unless someone else has some bright idea

[Steve Bullman]

This is probably your only option if any...get a tree spade in to lift the tree out, excavate the hole and then drop it back in at the right depth...will likely be prohibitively expensive though

 

 

[Mark Wileman]

what's caused this? Putting mulch too high?

[daltontrees]

Backfill the periphery with firmed soil, mulch again and leave. You might expect some important roots further down that would be knackered by a tree spade (which is not a cheap business at that size). I'd be tempted to carefully examine root structure and see if any selective girdling roots above 25mm could be severed cleanly.

[JoeT]

Thanks for the replies.  This was caused by the tree ring, mounding, weed fabric and black rocks you see in first pic.  These apparently were put in when the tree was planted (about 18 years ago).  I bough this house last year and just started addressing this issue because the blocks were not straight.

 

I did a little more excavation.

Here are pics of the girdling root.

[JoeT]

Shouldn't that girdling root be removed?

[daltontrees]

If Red Maple means Norway Maple Schwedllerii or Crimson King, they're b*****s for girdlign roots, I've seen a few leaners caused by it. In the long term the survivirs seem to overcome it, don't know if the roots fuse witht eh stem eventually. The root in the 3rd pic is going to cut off vascular flows above and below, probably not fatal as MAples are diffue porous, but ofr the proper developentof the tree I'd take the chance and cut it. Sharp chisel and hammer would be better than a saw, don't worry if you can't quite get all the way through.

[JoeT]

Cut through it at its origin? Then remove a section? 

[fagus]

+1 for what Dalton trees says.