Root Flare Excavation

What This Service Involves

Many struggling trees were simply planted too deep or buried under years of soil and mulch, hiding the root flare where the trunk should widen into the roots. A buried flare stays damp, breeds decay, and encourages girdling roots that slowly strangle the tree. We carefully excavate the base by hand or with air tools to expose the flare, correct or cut away circling roots, and re-establish proper grade. In our wet Northwest soils this often reverses an unexplained decline that no amount of feeding could fix.

Benefits

Uncovers a buried, suffocating root flare; Stops trunk rot from constant moisture; Corrects or removes girdling roots; Reverses unexplained, deep-planting decline; Gentle excavation that protects healthy roots

Our Process

1) Locate the true root flare and depth of burial; 2) Excavate soil away by hand or air tools; 3) Prune circling or girdling roots as needed; 4) Reset the grade and mulch correctly off the trunk

What Affects the Cost

Trunk size and depth of burial; Root complexity and girdling; Hand vs. air-tool excavation; Soil volume to remove; Follow-up grading and mulch

Best Time of Year

Ideally done in the cool, moist months from fall through spring when PNW trees handle root work with least stress.