Children Compaction

[Arborowen]

Sounds more sinister than it is. I have a client with several Portugal laurels, they appear to be dropping leaves and leaves are dying back from edges. I've included photos for perusal.

 

My thoughts are that compaction caused by children playing could be causing the dieback and the leaf edge die back is either symptomatic of the compacting or the soil has panned or been poached causing waterlogging. The site is a playground amongst a heavily urbanised area.

 

Your thoughts on this always much appreciated.

 

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[Arborowen]

Oops - also there is some exudate?

 

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[sloth]

Shed looks large and not that old- concrete base? Preventing water getting to soil below maybe, looks like it has a gutter so maybe going into a butt rathet than running off.

And is that astro turf under the laurels? If so how old, and what ground prep was done for it?

 

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[Arborowen]

Dammit thats wise, didtn spot that! I also didn't mention that the chery laurel next door is showing similar signs! Could the concrete base have poisoned the tree?

 

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[sloth]

Maybe. Perhaps soil was graded and a base laid on exposed roots even. I believe, and may be wrong, that the cement alters the pH of the soil, which could cause problems...

 

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[Arborowen]

Thanks for this Sloth. Ill put these points to the client. Cheers

 

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[Arborowen]

If it was poisoning ir change in PH, would the leaf die back be from leaf margins or from the veins working outward? The pictures seem more like reflected heat damage.

 

 

 

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[sloth]

Hmm, not lime chlorosis from cement then. Could be heat damage, I guess this years leaves will be ok till it gets hot if that's the case. Still, the rooting area looks very barren (especially if it is astro turf). If all fallen leaves etc are cleared over a number of years it can't be helping the rhizosphere and available nutrients...

 

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[Arborowen]

Im willing to bet that there was a bit of root fuckery going on combined with the radiation reflected from walls (it hasnt been exactly hot in Eastbourne, assuming its more UV that damages). Ill let them know that there isnt really allot that could be done short of rolling up the astro and decompaction then banishing the kids from their "rain forest"

 

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