Promote Root Growth Despite Restricted Root Space

Trees with restricted space for root growth

Trees with restricted space for root growth

If your trees are dying off they may not have enough room for root growth. According to James Urban, an authority on trees in built-up areas, tree roots need room to grow. For example, a 20″ caliper tree requires 1,200 cubic feet of soil to thrive. The lack of room stunts the tree’s growth. He adds that soon a tree without ample space begins to die.

Limited Space is a Problem in Urban and Suburban Settings

Establishing this much space underground is a big challenge in urban and suburban settings. Even if there is enough space, the soil conditions might still fall short of supporting root growth. The space designated for the roots of a tree must meet essential conditions. If these conditions are not present, then root growth cannot occur and the space is wasted.

Give Tree Roots Oxygen

Optimizing soil conditions in a very specific – often confined – space for tree roots, especially in urban and suburban settings, is a designer’s challenge and obligation. This means providing oxygen to soil in spaces that would not naturally have an air exchange. Rootwell Pro-318 expands the effective root zone volume, improves soil oxygenation and efficiently provides tree watering; resulting in larger tree growth.

The common 4’x 4’ sidewalk tree well has 2,304 sq inches of surface area, estimated 8 inches of oxygenated soil provides 18,430 cubic inches of usable root growth volume. Installing 4 Rootwell aeration tubes will displace 509 cubic inches of soil; however, it will add 6,000 cubic inches of oxygen rich root growth space. Affectively, adding 30% available root growth area in the same sidewalk tree-well

Establishment of urban and suburban trees requires you deliberately design the underground space where you plan to grow trees.

How do you deliver oxygen in ground space that is compacted because of equipment use, traffic, and more? Compaction is common in developed land plots because building specs often call for a rate of compaction that is prohibitive to air penetration. Even when there is available space for root growth, it won’t happen because soil conditions deeper down simply do not permit it. Instead, the only space conducive to root growth is at or near the surface, and the intended space is simply wasted.

How Can You Grow Healthy Trees in Limited Space?

Tree water bags are not enough because they only deliver water. The answer is to design the space for root growth. Scientific data shows that placing root aeration tubes in the ground will achieve that task. As oxygen is delivered to deeper soil, that enhanced soil welcomes expanding root mass. Roots at deeper depth are more resistant to stresses caused by extreme temperatures and drought. When all of the designated space is occupied by roots, healthier trees result.

Promote Root Growth

If you would like to promote root growth for healthy trees, Rootwell’s root aeration tubes are the answer. Contact us today to learn more.