hey ..

first ... ball and burlap ... or tree spade ...

second.. what is the soil that came with the tree .. clay also ....

third... what if any problems are you having with this tree??

or are you just solving something that.. perhaps.. is not a problem????

ken

Maybe do some radial trenching digging 4" wide, 12" deep trenches from the sides of the glazed hole for a few feet out in 6 to 8 "spokes" using a sharpshooter shovel. Chop up and replace the loosened existing soil - don't add amendments. That would give the tree roots some avenues to develop while lessening the tendency to girdle.

hortster

Radial trenching -- thanks, hortster. That's the term for what I've done to poorly planted trees and shrubs. But I did sprinkle in some homemade compost, and I used a spade fork that I rocked back and forth before adding the compost. Not much, just a taste. I wouldn't want the trees to get a taste for it.

Radial trenching -- thanks, hortster. That's the term for what I've done to poorly planted trees and shrubs. But I did sprinkle in some homemade compost, and I used a spade fork that I rocked back and forth before adding the compost. Not much, just a taste. I wouldn't want the trees to get a taste for it.

Its a b&b

Soil was amended with a compost conditioner.

No signifacant symptoms, a bit of leaf drop with transplant shock. Nothing major.

I realize that girdling roots take time to develop and I was attempting to provide preventive maintenance before they do. Radial trenching sounds like a viable option to help combat this potential problem. I just don't want to wait until it is too late to do anything.

Ken, jones IS solving a problem! He recognizes the improper planting procedure of the nursery and wants to mitigate problems before the tree is showing outward signs of stress or decline. Such issues are common, especially in clayey soil. We should applaud him.

I would also suggest a letter to the nursery with a fact sheet or two about planting procedures...including the problems with adding a 'soil conditioner ' when planting.

The term "bathtub effect" is most often used to describe the drainage problems resulting from amended backfill and NOT in describing the problems associated with glazed/compacted planting hole sides. Also, the biggest problem with jsjonesRDH's planting, mentioned so far, is likely the soil amendment. The glazed/compacted sides could possibly, maybe be an issue, but would probably not be my focus at this point.

Not to be contrary, brandon7, but I have witnessed the glazed sides of augured holes in the clay around here many times, and how it affects the long term health of the tree, especially when the soil is dry and super heated by the soil drill. It IS an issue here. And bathtub effect is a reality here. Additionally, to agree with you, a bunch of organic material to loosen the soil just adds to the problem, as well as planting too deeply. I have seen it all. These ignorances all give a newly planted tree difficulty. I would defend jsjonesRDH's thoughts.

hortster

I wasn't necessarily tryind to define the exact definition of the bathtub effect, rather reduce its effect. I understand how adding a soil conditioner would entice roots to stay in the dug hole but loosened clay may do the same. If you ate digging into dense clay your hole can have severely compacted soil and the loosened clay inside would still have less density than the surrounding soil. Albeit more resistance than an amended soil but perhaps enough to encourage circling of the roots as they approach the peremiter. The radial trenching sounds like a viable option and I already have a trenching shovel on hand. Ill give that a go.

Thanks for the input

Hortster,

You may have misread my post. I didn't say that the glazed/compacted sides weren't a problem. I was only pointing out that, typically, amendment issues are a bigger problem. The relative importance of the two issues (as well as other possible planting issues) would depend on the specifics of this case (exact nature of original soil type, soil moisture issues, type and relative amounts of amendments used, relative diameter of planting hole, methods used to dig hole, conditions when hole was dug, etc, etc).