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Sweet Gum with girdling root
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Author:  Dataguy99 [ Thu Dec 26, 2013 5:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Sweet Gum with girdling root

I saw a root curving around my 10 year old Sweet Gum about 2 months ago and finally got around to working on it this winter. Here's a link to my Dropbox where I put 3 of the photos.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xafigkw8zwzb8pj/Im2v4F62XJ

It appears that approx. half the trunk is against the root with the trunk starting to grow over the root. I have seen another post on here where it was recommended not to cut the root away from the trunk where it is growing around the root. Is that the case? Do I cut it just at the point where it comes away from the trunk?

Tree is healthy and I see no problems. I just noticed it when raking leaves and figured I better investigate. Glad I did after seeing this root going completely around the tree. Good grief! Thanks for any help you can give.

Author:  northwesterner [ Thu Dec 26, 2013 8:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sweet Gum with girdling root

That is a bad one, good call in asking this question. I downloaded, reduced the size, and marked the root at the point you should make a cut to sever the bulk of that root. Where it has already embedded in the tree you'd do more harm than good if you tried to dig it out. The tree will eventually grow around the root completely and be fine, but it wouldn't survive being surrounded by the girdling root the way it is now.

Use a small keyhole saw or something that will let you cut precisely and lift that root out of the hole before filling it back in with dirt, making sure to leave the root flare exposed. It looks like the root flare is below the level of this root, so I'd leave that embedded part of the root in sight.

Attachment:
GirdlingRoot-1.JPG
GirdlingRoot-1.JPG [ 397.07 KiB | Viewed 5010 times ]

Author:  Dataguy99 [ Thu Dec 26, 2013 9:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sweet Gum with girdling root

Wow. Thanks. It was just by chance that I saw it and boy am I glad I did. I'll get it cut at your mark.

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