Stem Girdling Root Removal in Established Trees 

This is a great one-stop-shopping introduction to the subject. I really like how the video is done, your energy is chill, the pacing is great, not too fast or slow, and you get all the important details covered. And you go straight to showing one of the more difficult girdling-root situations I've seen, ...often the roots can be removed without the guesswork involved when it's that grown-into the trunk...so it helps give confidence for those trickier situations. Great video imo. Thank you very much!!

The flare clearing work was done well. Pretty much in line with the standard procedure in the root management standard. And the editing was very well done! The root is still girdling the stem. A cut could be made just beyond the point of grafting, using a chainsaw and then a chisel. It would be good to review the literature before delving into unfamiliar practices! The July 2007 edition of Tree Care Industry magazine shows some examples of removing embedded portions, like the one left in this video. And the proceeds of the third Landscape below ground conference has a peer reviewed protocol at the very end. If there are any questions or comments about these two references I would be happy to answer them.

Thank you - very informative and to the point.

Oh, thank you for posting educational video like this. I become to understand this stem girdling root symptom is a kind of slow suicidal process for tree. And you are good at teaching thing naturally. thx

I use that same makita osalating tool and also a chisel and hammer along with Loppers and glasses . Great work. I would have put a shallow relief notch back at the ridge of that root a little bit also but with a chisel . just me.

Great video, thanx!

Thank you!

Do you have any advice for the care of the tree after this procedure? Perhaps a fertilization schedule? Watering?

From my experience as a horticulturist air spading and removing stem girdling roots. I like to stay under 25% root cuts or less of the DBH of the tree. I also stay away from cutting roots that have grafted to the tree. That root I cannot tell but seems to be grafted possibly and is huge for the DBH.

I am a Dendrologist from Ontario Canada who works for the Ontario forestry service. I would do this girding root procedure much differently with near perfect results. -Cut the root minimum of double the distance from the tree. -Use a bottle jack and force the root to peel away from the tree anchor point. - I will guarantee you that even though the root appears grafted to the trunk….. It is not 🥸

tough call on that one.. The cut you made is going to have zero effect on the girdling problem for about next decade or more. You didn't remove any portion of that root that was touching the main stem. The main stem would have to grow quite a bit wider to reach the effected area, so again, what you did has zero chance of having any beneficial effect for at least another 10 years. On the other hand making that large cut on the roots of a tree that size could kill it well before the 10+ years you''' have to wait for any beneficial effect. My experience in dealing with girdling roots is limited, but what I have seen would indicate that by the time a tree reaches that size, it's too late for root pruning to do it much good. If you are going to cut girdling roots, you need to get the trees when they are much younger.

This was good advice, and useful to normal people. i wish air spades were more available. they are insanely expensive to buy or rent, costing thousands of dollars. Clearly there is a problem with patent. So many trees would be improved safely even years after becoming established.

When you're done with the work, you leaf.

I know there's a risk, but I'd have loved to see you carefully remove the root that was integrated into the with the oscillating tool. I don't know what's best, but it would've been satisfying to see.

Backpack blower can make this easier too.

perfect vid, thanks!

I assume "stem" means "trunk"

You didn't discuss what your expectations were for this particular tree by making such a cut.

When did Dave Grohl become an arborist??

A lesson on tool use???

The tree's actually dying because it realized it was planted in minnesota.

What's with the ear protection? A chainsaw would go much faster. Would suckers form if the the root not removed?

There is not a t in the word across

😁 ?? 8:57 And after this root gonna be in contact of a moist soil. I dont understand why cut here ...

step 2 with the knife looks so dangerous. why not a small spade? sharp but not slice you open sharp.

Diagnosis the tree with stem girdling roots. Fails to mention the gaping hole pretty much at eye level. 9:45