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Finding a root wrapped around the base of the trunk usually raises one question: can the tree be saved? Often it can. Figuring out how to fix girdling tree roots depends on how large the root is, how much of the trunk it presses against, and how long it has been there. At Top Tier Trees, our certified arborists start with root collar excavation, which exposes the root flare so we can see what's happening below the soil line before anything gets cut.
A girdling root grows around or against the trunk instead of spreading outward into the surrounding soil. Because it sits in such close proximity to the trunk, the root and the tree trunk eventually press into each other as they both thicken. That pressure falls on the inner bark, which carries sugars from the leaves down to the root system, and on the outer wood that moves water up to the canopy. When the flow of water and nutrients is restricted on one side, the part of the canopy served by those roots starts coming up short.
Arborists also call these stem-girdling roots, and the condition is sometimes labeled root collar disorder. It's a common problem in urban environments, where most trees come from containers and go into compacted ground. A tree can look like a healthy tree for years while the root tightens. Thinning leaves, poor growth, early fall color, and dead branches near the top of the tree are the early warning signs people usually notice first, although by then the tree's health has usually been slipping for a while. Sugar maple and other maple species turn up with the condition often enough that our arborists check the base of any maple tree showing decline.
Many girdling roots sit just under the soil surface, so the first step is uncovering the base of the tree without injuring it. A straight trunk that goes into the ground like a telephone pole, with no visible flare, tells us it's time to dig. Usually the tree was planted too deep, soil or mulch has built up against it over the years, or both. A mulch volcano can bury the flare completely and keep the outer bark damp enough to invite fungal infections. Mulch is good for trees in the right amount, but mulch piled against the trunk causes many of the same problems as deep planting.
We do the excavation with an air spade, also called an air knife, which uses compressed air to blow soil away without cutting or tearing roots. With young trees, careful work with a hand trowel can do the job. On large trees, the air spade lets us clear the root zone around the tree's base and look at the structural roots at ground level. Digging with a shovel around an established tree often causes further damage to the roots we're trying to evaluate.
The video below gives a closer look at girdling roots and the work involved in correcting them.
With the flare uncovered, the arborist decides which roots should come out and which should stay. Every root removed costs the tree some water and nutrient uptake, so the aim is to relieve pressure on the trunk without taking more of the tree's roots than it can spare. Early detection gives the most options here.
Small girdling roots that haven't yet pressed into the trunk can usually be removed entirely. We make precise cuts with a sharp chisel, sharp knife, or pruning saw so the wound is clean, and we leave the smaller roots that are already growing outward in place.
A large girdling root takes more judgment. If it has grown deep into the trunk of the tree, cutting it out can leave a wound bigger than the problem it solves, and it may take a large share of the roots feeding one side of the canopy. The best course of action in that situation might be severing a section of the root so it stops tightening, removing problematic roots in stages over a few seasons, or leaving the root and monitoring the tree. These calls are the reason girdling roots need professional intervention rather than a weekend with a saw.
In severe cases, such as a root wrapped most of the way around the trunk or when the tree leans because its anchoring roots are compromised, root removal won't bring the tree back. Our arborists will tell you honestly when an affected tree has reached that point and whether tree removal is the safer choice. Girdling problems can also weaken a tree's base enough that it fails in a wind event, and our crews provide 24/7 emergency tree removal when that happens.
The weeks after root work are when the tree needs adequate water most, particularly during dry spells. Soil conditions around the base matter as well, and the dense clay soil common around Marietta and much of metro Atlanta compacts easily. Keeping the flare exposed, with mulch pulled a few inches back from the trunk, allows gas exchange and lets the bark stay dry. Lawn equipment and heavy foot traffic should stay out of the root zone while the tree recovers.
Trees that spent years under pressure often benefit from extra support. Our plant health care services and soil treatment address nutrient and soil problems, and vertical mulching can loosen compacted soil so air and organic matter reach the roots. New growth in the canopy over the next season or two is a good indication the tree is responding.
Improper planting is behind most girdling roots, and the problem usually starts in a tree's first years. Roots that circled inside a nursery container keep circling after planting unless someone corrects them. When planting a new tree, cut or tease apart circling roots at the edge of the root ball, remove wire baskets and burlap from at least the top part of the ball, and dig the planting hole wider than it is deep so roots have room to grow outward. The flare should sit at or slightly above the soil line. A wrapped root caught at planting can be cut in a few seconds, while the same root left alone can lead to a slow decline years later.
Top Tier Trees is a family-owned and operated tree care company based in Marietta, GA. Our crews include ISA Certified Arborists, and we're members of the Georgia Arborist Association and the Tree Care Industry Association. We're BBB Accredited with an A+ rating and TrustDale Certified, which puts Dale's $10K "Make It Right" guarantee behind our work. Top Tier Trees also holds a 5-star rating on Google from more than 600 reviews. Estimates are free, financing is available, and we back every job with a promise of 100% customer satisfaction.
If you've noticed a trunk with no flare, thinning in the upper portion of the tree's canopy, or roots crossing the base of your tree, a certified arborist from our team can show you how to fix girdling tree roots on that specific tree. Schedule a tree health assessment or contact Top Tier Trees for a free estimate.
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