I'm guessing you had to dig down and cut radially into some of the root diameter. I'm wondering how I'm going to do it, because a friend of mine didn't do what I instructed, and he just plopped it in the hole. The only good thing is that it was a very resilient Catalpa tree, and those things can grow between garages, and fencing and junk. Can I ask how the problem of encircled roots was remedied?

@@richtomlinson7090 The video was dedicated to showing how encircled roots are freed up to save the tree. Try paying attention.

@@1voluntaryist Don't be an idiot. The question i asked someone else, was about what their arborist suggested to them, on the subject of a poorly prepared planting that was seriously suffering. I know how to plant trees. I have a friend that didn't know about root strangulation, and I asked someone how they fixed their problem, so I could help my friend.

@@richtomlinson7090 Plant a seed in the ground for trees, they live way to long to ruin their roots by starting them in a pot

@@MATTINCALI I sometimes buy the clearance trees from Lowes or Walmart, and one was this Catalpa that I gave to a friend, and it's doing well, inspite of it's condition from being in a container from the nursery, and sitting in the store awhile. I told my buddy what to do, but he didn't prepare or trim the overgrown root ball. I guess Catalpa is a forgiving species.

Was thinking the same thing, dozens of trees done the way you’re stating and never had a failure…I feel he was excessive in the root exposure

One thing I might point out is that the soil was very heavy and wet clay. If you have soup like this and add too much water you can get root rot as it won't drain, especially if you don't mound it up. I have clay that is super dense and it's a big issue

Good suggestion. This is the standard advice here in the southwest U.S. since we have a very dry climate. In very wet climates it might not be necessary or beneficial.

I worked in landscaping, and always kept the site tidy and myself tidy. Would never leave tools lying on the ground . I find it difficult just looking at this mess.🙄 . But he is correct in teasing out the pot bound roots. I'll give him that much 😂👍

I dislike non native and useless grass patches

​@@justbeeeb2061 🤓

@@noelduffey2395 and I bet you are better than everybody else too huh?? Tools laying around? Keeping myself tidy while working? 😂😂 come on dude, stop being fake

@@BlakeGibbons I don't think I understand what you mean by a single emoji

Nice tip

I was actually just about to try this with some trees I'm getting ready to plant

@@mikecurry6847 yeah it works well. i would suggest washing them out away from the hole or else it gets all soupy. also once you are content with how washed out they are, don't be afraid to move the roots around so that they go outward.

I had to do this as a last resort when planting a couple late starts. Aside from washing away the potting mix (which has essential nutrients my newly tilled sandy soil needs), it turned out to be an incredibly efficient way to expose those tight roots. Wish I hadn't waited to the last 4 pack to try that out.

There is not always water access but you’re right, water is an acceptable alternative. The important thing is to avoid mechanical damage from tools.

Agreed. It's got to start with growers/nurseries because when they up-pot they just lay more potting mix on top of the grade instead of filling it at the bottom first and when they are ready to sell, plants usually have 2-3 years worth of mix built up at the top. It also doesn't help that there aren't more education about root pruning circling roots. It's ok to cut back a lot of the roots (1/4 to 1/3) via box cut method and not just slices around the root ball. Hardened circling roots will continue to circle even if you slice through it. You gotta cut it way back. It may seem devastating and slower to establish, but it will be healthier in the long run.

@@dkbomb yep exactly what I do, cut off the top 2-3” of the root ball, usually with pruning clips and sometimes even a saw, until you find the root collar and flare. Just gotta be careful to not hurt the root collar.

I think people are going too far in the other direction. I never seen a tree grow in nature with their roots this high up, barely covered by mulch only. My neighbor planted his tree like this last year and it looks like shit with a bunch of die back. Granted I don't know what else he did when planting it, but I've never seen trees grow like this in nature. People are basically planting trees half way in the ground now with just a sprinkle of dirt to cover the roots, that's not how these trees grow naturally.

@@bobbygetsbanned6049 neither extreme is optimal, however if I had to pick one over the other, it would be planting too high because you can easily add soil around the base of the tree, and roots naturally grow downwards. In heavy wet clay it’s recommended you plant high, because of moisture and lack of oxygen. “Plant too low and it’ll die slow, plant too high and it might dry, plant just right and watch it take flght.”

@@bobbygetsbanned6049he planted this tree perfectly.

Thanks for watching! God bless.

Good advice to use only the natural soil if possible . The client expressly wanted us to use amended soil in this case, but it’s debatable if it’s better or worse for the tree after planting.

spring is also a good time if you plan on exposing the roots. more energy is in the new buds at this point

I always plant mine when the wind is at 7.3mph due east and a mockingbird sings the songs of my elders.. way better results from my experience!

Crape myrtles are really forgiving plants. I have some that I have been actively trying to CUT DOWN and they just keep coming back, growing several feet PER MONTH. So they're great for making your mistakes when you start out.

Hole shape doesn't matter. The problem actually starts with the roots themselves. Hardened circling roots will continue to circle because it was trained that way in the pot and now have muscle memory to continue to grow in circles. You have to cut back the roots heavily (20-30%) and not just slices through the outside. The ''box cut root pruning method'' done by a few universities is a good pruning technique to thin out the older and hardened circling roots and allow new feeder roots to grow freely.

hi, are you doing that just because the soil is heavy clay? I'm in France and our soil is heavy in some places, clay-limestone, so I'm wondering if by planting trees in round holes I wasn't wrong??? But roots are strong and I hope they will not get stuck against a clay wall as it happen against plastic contenant :).. Especially is the "wall" is softened by the weekly or monthly watering? You made a point :) so now I'm wondering 🤔

I with my over 50 years of experience disagree about the square hole. There is absolutely no difference in the growth of a tree planted in a square or round hole.

The hole shape does not make a difference lol

I've dug the downhill drain trench, and I think it helped. I have also made the bathtub in clay, but the trees were resistant to drowning, and they were water lovers. I planted a Bald Cypress in a zone 5 or 4, because of elevation in New York state at over 1,100 feet, and it took off and is doing great. I also did this with River Birch and Red Maples, that are a swamp loving tree.

You are right, those trees are going to experience root rot.

Your having a laugh

correct way is to plant a seed in the ground

Hope the tree was bought at a discount.

I don't know but that's what I have read, don't amend the soil because the tree will treat it like a pot and not want to grow it's roots into the native soil. I don't think that's specific to clay soil either.

It’s much better to use the natural soil or at the very least mix it into the amendments well. The danger of creating a “bowl” is very possible and very bad. More reason to make sure the tree is planted (and the root ball settled) above the soil grade.

If it's not a ball, you woundt be helping it.

ISA doesn’t advise it unless they are broken or damaged branches. Reason being root stimulation and growth is affected by plant growth regulators produced in branch tips. Also, more leaves, more food, more energy. Try to wait at least one season after planting.

There are a lot of trees near me that were planted high and look like shit with tons of die back. They are all probably going to die. I think people have taken "plant it high" as levitate that bitch above the ground, salt bae on some dirty and call it a day.

Plant a seed,

Tried this with strawberries. They dead.... roots dried out.

@@natashabrown4790 strawberries are not trees.

@@xXLunatikxXlul LOL true

You've had major issues?

🙃the air thing kinda blew me away😅

@@FUKdjt8645 OMG - An unintended pun.

“performing RCE’s”

You aren’t wrong but I think there’s massive amounts of water storage in the soil so therefore it’ll drain over time. Whereas the ring of mulch retains dirt and that’s why rot happens. Just a lad that likes plants

These videos from professionals are quite funny They use tools that are not common to public The process is entirely too long for such a simple task I have an orchard Planted with its own soil Never added much but a quick layer of wood chips over the top when planted and trees are growing fine You don’t need an airspade - waste of money and time You don’t need to put down potting mix nor top soil You use the same soil you dug out You can grind the original soil by shovel or hand to break into smaller chunks I would not advise mixing in a different soil THAT will just cause more shock to roots once it finally hits the original soil The broke man’s method proves time after time This is nothing more than paid propaganda from corporate being carried out voluntarily by the enslaved

@@silcarifarm7067 lol what?

​@@silcarifarm7067He said at the beginning that this was an educational video. I thoroughlly enjoyed that he took his time and actually showed what he was talking about.

@@silcarifarm7067Agreed. “Nutrient rich soil” is a glorified way of saying compost. Trees don’t grow in ground up dead trees, mushrooms do! Grow trees in real dirt (sand/silt/clay). Fertilizer, compost, mulch, it all belongs on the top.

I've got dense, heavy clay & have also worked with sandy soil too. I make slash & burn pits the year before I plant trees, direct ground sowing or raised beds to condition the soil to hold onto nutrients with bio-char. David the Good's channel shows & talks about this more in-depth, especially since he's growing in sandy conditions like yours.

Thanks for watching and commenting! Yes it is sad that people are unaware, but it gets better as we pass on the knowledge!

I was wandering why my fig is not growing and not fruiting anymore i put more fertilizers in it but it didnt help anything.

​@@juliosdiy3206 This is a very late reply sorry, but figs fruit better with restricted roots (similar to Agapanthus flowering). I don't know why this is but I've heard it said many times now

Why, is it sad?

Glad to help

Yeah, I have the same question. Also, could you use a pressure washer as long as you don't get so close that it strips away the bark?

Put the whole bagged root and the tree on its side and roll gently while standing on the side. It will loosen up the roots and you won't have to cut the perfect bag like he did.

I came looking for this comment because I know I wasn’t the only one wondering the same thing. I would think a pressure washer wouldn’t work as well as a hose because you could use your hand at the same time manipulating the root ball.

@@Wakeywhodat You also spray away the micro biome around the roots.

@peetsnort Just to be clear, should I use a gentle flow with a hose or not? Thanks!

Just use a hose and the water will do the work for you. The reason for air hose is because water is messy.

You're welcome, thanks for watching!

It'll grow vertical over time, might have a bend in it though

Old wood doesn't correct it's direction of growth, so if it's important to you, keep correcting the angle as you water it into the soft settling soil. I have trees that were blown over a little, by heavy winds and I hope the growth will average out, and appear straighter after many years. You can see how trees do this, if you look at boards while doing wood working. The pith, or first years can be all curved, and the later years grow and adjust to support the mass.

When planting in an area with heavy clay it tends to benefit the tree to be planted high....though this one might need a little more of that amended soil.

It will kill it's self in the pot too eventually.

@@bobbygetsbanned6049 maybe after a decade because there becomes more roots than soil. That’s not a problem in ground, surrounded by soil everywhere.

@@epigeneticnerd4244 It's actually very similar to being in a bucket, those roots won't move or die on their own. They stay in place and continue to grow larger, the trunk also grows larger and their isn't enough room for both of them so the roots eventually strangle the tree. You have to cut those roots to get them growing in the proper direction, away from the tree, instead of continuing to grow in a circle.

Try to limit pruning to only damaged or broken branches (for the first season). Root development is positively affected by tree branches and shoot tips.

The problem isn't the roots, it's the nutrition in the soil. Use chelated iron and they will perk right up.

@@cremdilly7176 thanks. Probably right. My soil is mostly clay