Mulching berry-laden brambles under oak?

[Adam M]

Hi,

Around 3 years ago a huge veteran oak was halo'ed on one of the local commons. There is now about 4 foot of brambles underneath it the entire crown. The tree does not appear to be responding well with short extension growth and not especially great retrenchment growth. I think that the brambles aren't helping and they will need to be removed. I have had a thought that allowing the brambles to grow berries this year then mulching the lot with a BCS flail might give a quick fix of sugars into the soil although would also be quick release nitrogen from the mashed non-fruit matter. At a later date, once the green matter has decomposed, I would like to yank out the bramble regrowth or possibly chemically treat it, then mulch in the manner of 'that' pear on Hampstead Heath to give a much slower release and improve the soil mycorrhiza

 

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I've attached some photos taken last week showing that it isn't looking too clever so will be woodchip mulching as bare minimum. I have a feeling that the initial halo'ing was carried out too quickly. We do have a fairly substantial budget to pump into this tree should anyone have any extra ideas?

 

 

[hedgesparrow]

i would use a mulching blade if you have a sthil like a flymo blade. will chomp these down. if as it looks is in need of some tlc dig some holes just on the drip line the size of childrens buckets round and deep and put a scoop of slow release ferilizer i have been using i believe its called max d but will check when i do a horse chestnut in a bit. give the holes a good soaking this should give it a boost. the one i am doing looks as if it is responding to it.

[Razzle]

Hi Adam, yes mulching is by far and away the best single thing you can do for any tree whether newly planted or over mature. Just be careful not to bury the root collar and mulch as wide as possible.

The other thing you can do is to take a sub surface soil sample and carry out an NPK nutrient analysis and pH test. The tree could then potentially be fertilised with a slow release fertiliser either by soil injection or surface broadcast. Have had alot of experience and success with this and other tree care treatments including Opm, hclm etc over the last 10 years plus.