One of the most common reasons trees die are the effects of girdling roots. Girdling roots are roots that wrap around the trunk of the tree at the root collar where the roots meet trunk. As the trunk and the root gets larger in diameter, the water carrying wood in the trunk is choked off.  We see this hidden problem quite often when we are inspecting sick trees.

Causes of Girdling Roots

Another cause of girdling roots is improper tree planting. Many times we find trees that someone has planted without taking off the wire basket, burlap, and strapping. Roots find it difficult to exit the burlap. Roots circle and eventually and these roots choke the tree. Strangulation of the stem by large roots can lead to stressed plants that decline and eventually attract pests.

Many landscape trees are buried too deep either at planting or over years of applying too much mulch. Planting too deep or excessive mulch will bury the root collar (junction between the roots and the shoots) and trees can develop girdling roots. Girdling roots can wrap around trunks and essentially choke the tree-killing wood above the point of contact.

Preventing and Remediating Girdling Roots

Remediate girdling roots by relieving the chokehold that the root has on the trunk. Cutting the root is ideal but sometimes the root is too big to cut. If the root is too large to cut, you can cut the smaller roots connecting the girdling root to soil. This will relieve the pressure that the ever-expanding root is putting on the trunk. Or, you can notch the large girdling root and it will eventually break under the pressure. Learn more about remediating girdling roots here.