Whenever roots expose themselves, a lot of homeowners get frustrated. Most of them will ask “how do I deal with them?” Well, the truth is that trees would normally grow roots on top of your lawn. These exposed roots can be very dangerous to kids playing, mowers, and pets.
There are a lot of reasons why trees expose their roots above the ground. Several species of trees are more vulnerable to surface roots than others. However, almost every old and big tree can expose their roots above ground. So, what can you do about these exposed tree roots? Here are some of them:
Add Grass
You can add grass. However, you might run into several issues in the future. This is because the shady cover of the tree will block the grass from getting enough sunlight. In addition to that, the roots of the tree will certainly take most of the water in the soil.
So, you can instead plant groundcover that’s drought-tolerant. This will also save you the issue of having to mow in that location. Of course, one of the ideal types of groundcover is moss.
Add Topsoil
If you add topsoil over tree roots, you might run into several issues as well. The tree will not get enough water to live if you cover the tree with an excessive amount of soil or add the wrong soil. In addition to that, the roots will potentially grow through the soil that was introduced before.
To make things simple, adding topsoil is only a temporary solution. It does not solve the issue for a long period. But, you can combine equal parts of compost and topsoil if you want to do this to help deal with exposed roots. After mixing them, you can add 2 up to 3 inches of soil through the tree base. Do not add more than that. This will avoid suffocating your tree.
Do Not Cut Roots
No matter how tempting it is, you should not cut the exposed tree roots. You are only giving easy access points for harmful insects and diseases if you cut them. In addition to that, cutting the roots will affect negatively the balance of the tree. This will make your tree to potentially fall over during a heavy storm. Lastly, you will kill a lot of small “feeder roots” if you cut the roots. These small “feeder roots” enables the tree to soak up vitamins and water. If you cut them, it could result in the whole tree decaying.
Add Mulch
Mulch is the ideal way to deal with surface tree roots. You will also get another benefit if you add 2 up to 3 inches of organic mulch. Mulch will help keep the roots wet and cool. This enables them to breathe. You should not pile mulch against the trunk and do not put down more than 4 inches. Aside from protecting and moisturizing the roots, it will provide your landscape a clean look. You can always purchase mulch at a professional Tree Service Bedford TX company.
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