Should You Cover A Tree’s Exposed Roots With Soil?

 

Exposed Tree Roots

Do you have a tree with exposed roots on your property? If so, you might be tempted to cover them with dirt. Perhaps the tree seems unkempt with its gnarled roots poking out. Thus, creating bald patches of grass on your lawn and opportunities for weeds to grow. Also, do the roots create a tripping hazard and you’re anxious to get them back underground?

To cover or not

Simply dumping dirt over exposed roots puts a band-aid on the issue rather than solving it. If the roots are on the surface, that means there is a reason why they had to come above ground. Specifically, there could be a problem with the soil or space underneath. Basically, burying them under a mound of dirt doesn’t solve the issue. Here is why you shouldn’t cover a tree’s roots, and what to do instead.

Exposed roots, or surface roots, shouldn’t be covered with a heap of dirt because they will suffocate. They came up to the surface probably due to a lack of oxygen underground, so adding a thick layer of dirt will recreate the original problem for the roots. When they can’t get enough oxygen, their cells will begin to die, which will lead to permanent damage to the rest of the tree. Because of this, covering the tree’s above-ground roots with dirt is a rookie mistake. 

The root of the problem

Throwing dirt over them also doesn’t address the underlying issue. Sure, mature trees grow large, thick roots, which is why sometimes they poke out from underground. But if you have a relatively young tree and you’re noticing surface roots, you might have an issue with your dirt instead. For example, roots tend to grow upward towards the surface when the soil is overly compacted or saturated. That’s because the roots lack oxygen in those conditions, so they start growing where they can access more air. This means you need to solve your soil issue if you don’t want more roots poking through. Once you solve those issues, you can then minimize the risk of more exposed roots developing.

 

 

Using mulch

If you don’t want to leave the roots exposed, you can cover them with a thin layer of soil or mulch. Add no more than three inches to ensure the roots still get adequate air and you’re not putting it in danger of root rot. If you’re worried about damaging the roots, try utilizing mulch over dirt. Mulch is much lighter, allowing more air to filter through to the exposed roots. If you go the mulch route, also avoid creating a mulch volcano around the trunk, as that will also suffocate the tree.

Using sod or seed

Another way to hide the roots is to add about two inches of soil mixed with grass seed, which will eventually develop into turf that will cover the roots. However, this is only a temporary fix, since the roots will only continue to grow and poke back out in a few years. At that point, you can repeat the process once again.

Aeration

You can also begin to aerate the soil, lessening the ground’s compaction and bringing more air down to the underground roots. This will help minimize the chance that more surface roots will develop. If you aren’t confident in aerating the dirt with a pointy tool when there is a maze of roots zigzagging about, you can call a tree expert or arborist to do it for you. 

Source:   Housedigest©

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