I’ve promoted root washing of containerized and B&B trees and shrubs for a few decades now. The experimental science is slowly coming along – it can take several years to determine if the practice is more successful in terms of plant survival than leaving the rootball intact. But we know how soils function in terms of water, air and root movement, and we understand woody plant physiology. So it’s pretty easy to predict what will happen when trees, whose roots are held captive in layers of stuff, are then planted, intact, into the landscape.
Maple newly purchased from nursery.
Early in spring 2021 I purchased a couple of Japanese maples to frame our garage. As always, I root washed these specimens. Here’s a play by play of what we did, and what we found.
Container removed, exposing fine roots. Some of the media has fallen away and is at the bottom of the wheelbarrow.Since we can’t see the root flare, we mark the point at which the trunk and soil meet.As we remove the container media, we find burlap and twine. And under that, a clay root ball. There is a root crown somewhere…Some beating on the clay rootball helps create some cracks where water can then help with the process.Into a nice soaky bath to loosen up that clay. The longer it sits, the more clay will slough off.We speed the process along with a directional spray of water.Jim gets his fingers into the wet clay to pry it away from the roots. Still no root crown, but you can see the Sharpie line on the trunk a couple inches above the clay.Eureka! A root flare several inches below the original media level.
After more cleaning and untangling, we have a root system ready for planting. Well, almost.
We have roots, but we still have some problems.
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