Wild goose root chase

[Cajunrider]

A friend of had a good size tree in his yard that was blown down multiple times by storms. I thought I could collect and turn it into a monster specimen. Well I was wrong. The wrap around roots at the time of original planting was the real reason why the tree was blown down. It would have died any way. There was no way to save it. Removing the circling roots revealed a severely injured trunk that has rotted away.

 

[Shibui]

Most trees are able to compensate as smaller side roots take off growing outward and the circling parts gradually wither but some just never recover from being cramped in a round plastic pot.
A great lesson that circling roots should be cut or untangled a bit when planting out young trees.

It appears to be a Chinese elm. I haven't tried root cuttings later in summer but maybe some would grow?

 

[Cajunrider]

Most trees are able to compensate as smaller side roots take off growing outward and the circling parts gradually wither but some just never recover from being cramped in a round plastic pot.
A great lesson that circling roots should be cut or untangled a bit when planting out young trees.

It appears to be a Chinese elm. I haven't tried root cuttings later in summer but maybe some would grow?

I have plenty of Chinese elm. I was just interested in a big big trunk. There was not anything to save for that tree for me.

 

[Paradox]

Odd that it didn't send out roots further from that root ball. Shame that it couldn't be saved

 

[penumbra]

A friend of had a good size tree in his yard that was blown down multiple times by storms. I thought I could collect and turn it into a monster specimen. Well I was wrong. The wrap around roots at the time of original planting was the real reason why the tree was blown down. It would have died any way. There was no way to save it. Removing the circling roots revealed a severely injured trunk that has rotted away.
View attachment 396430View attachment 396431View attachment 396432

All the best arborists will tell you that is the #1 cause of tree failure from container plants. I have seen this cause and effect literally dozens of times.

 

[Cajunrider]

All the best arborists will tell you that is the #1 cause of tree failure from container plants. I have seen this cause and effect literally dozens of times.

Me too. Nowadays I am not content with just simply cutting the circling roots on the side as often recommended. I will attempt to unwind them completely. If some of them break so be it. Broken roots will grow back but circling root will strangle the tree. I have had much better luck with untangling them and then trim to proper length.