Long story but because of a landscaper error, we had this block wall built and trees and other plants in it. It then had to be raised by a foot. The 4 cypress trees are huge and I am worried they will not survive digging them up and replanting them. We are adding soil to the block wall (one foot) and the gardener I hired is putting all that soil around them. I think it will kill the trees. He says it will be ok. Any ideas of what I could do? Thank you!
Raising the soil level around cypress trees
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Meadowlark
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Wow that is a tough one. I have cypress and I tend to think you are right, that will kill the trees and the gardener is wrong.
From Bing, "Adding extra dirt to the surface of cypress trees can reduce the concentration of soil oxygen needed for roots to survive, and trees may begin to show symptoms immediately or decline over time upon covering them "
Without actually being there, I can't visualize a way out...but sure hope you find one other than covering those roots with a foot of dirt.
From Bing, "Adding extra dirt to the surface of cypress trees can reduce the concentration of soil oxygen needed for roots to survive, and trees may begin to show symptoms immediately or decline over time upon covering them "
Without actually being there, I can't visualize a way out...but sure hope you find one other than covering those roots with a foot of dirt.
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I think you can say goodbye to the trees. They're too big to survive a replant unless you make huge rootballs and use a crane.
After brainstorming all night my new thought is buy 4 galvanized raised bed planters and put one around each tree and then the dirt will be on the outside and the trees will be inside. They are 17” deep. Would that work? Would the trees be able to breathe this way? See attached photo. Thank you!
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The big question is how wide the planters are. 2' would be the bare minimum.
I hear you. It is hard for me to trash anything that is still green, we are babying them to get them healthy and then if all else fails have to replace them. Thanks!
I am going to try 3 foot wide ones. Ordered from Amazon today. Thank you!
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Cypress feeder roots extend out several feet from the tree well over 10 ft. With the boxes 3ft x 6 ft., provides only 1.5 ft on each side at the closest point and even less considering the diameter of the tree. That is going to adversely affect those feeder roots especially the 3 ft direction. How much is kind of a guess at this point, but they will be negatively affected. Perhaps a circular container with 8 ft diameter would improve odds...but may be too late to consider if you have ordered the 3 x 6 .