mulching and improving soil

[travis]

i'd like to know what can be done to improve the soil around a tree.

 

should i dig out some soil and replace it with manure or mulch ?

or is using any sort of tool around the root system potentially going to introduce disease and fungus.?

thanks

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

Travis,

If Glynn Percival (Bartletts) was replying he'd say put mulch down and ideally as wood-chippings of the rosacea family which is high in sugars...apparently!

 

If the ground is compacted then some decompaction work with the airspade would be his preferred tool.

 

Sorry I know little of the subject but apparently this approach is supported by some research underatken by Glynn at Reading I believe.

 

Cheers..

Paul

[duffs]

usually a good idea if its really required to do so. A few questions though, what species is it, what kinda soil, is it growing on a flat open area or on a bank. is the soil been compacted by human traffic, animal traffic or vehicular. Is the tree not well, is the soil not well, is there grass growing around the tree, etc.

 

if you're looking to simply imprve the area around a tree. always do so to te dripline i believe. try not to be intrusive to the rooting area if there is no real imediate eed to. Mulch works provding it has been composted therefore not stealing to much N from the soil. Also, try and find mulch from tree nuts, usually older stuff as there is bound to be a cart load of worms and various other biota tearing around in it.

[travis]

the tree is oak and a few months ago it was weeping sap, which pooled in the soil.

now there is a crack in the bark.

the soil is clay, there is pavement one side and bitchumen carpark the other side. both of which will obviously have been dug through the root system when these houses were built 7-8 yrs ago. The tree is about 15 yrs. there is geo membrane over the soil + gravel.

[Xerxses]

Good thread about mulching

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/tree-health-care/2847-mulch-not-mulch.html