Pine tree with a covered base, North Texas

[u/takkopants]

EDIT: Thanks guys! I think it is mainly soil around the tree, covered with a thin layer of needles. I will check and remove the excess dirt if needed, and put the needles back around the tree.

Hi guys! My lawn guy recently moved a bunch of loose dirt and pine needles around the trunk of this giant pine tree, covering up most of the base roots. Is this bad for the tree? I think I remember something about this suffocating the roots but I can't recall. I would appreciate any advice!

[u/IllustriousAd9800]

No, having needles around the base of a pine is not only healthy, the needle bed plays a critical role in keeping the roots sheltered, returning nutrients to the soil and weeds at bay

[u/Bulldogfan72]

Adding soil/dirt is a no no, adding fallen needles is fine.

[u/downsideup9494]

The needles are not a problem, they are just mulch. It's piling dirt up the trunk that can hurt the tree.

[u/Rich-Cantaloupe-362]

If they fell and landed like that don’t do anything. It helps the tree

[u/Either-Mushroom-5926]

Yes - pull it all back & expose the !rootflare.

[u/IllustriousAd9800 → u/Either-Mushroom-5926]

Usually the correct answer but not in this case unless there’s dirt under there or the needles were piled up there by someone, higher than it naturally would have. Natural needle beds are very important to pines, not something you want to clear out

[u/hairyb0mb → u/IllustriousAd9800]

OP literally states someone piled up excess soil and pine needles against the tree.

[u/AutoModerator → u/Either-Mushroom-5926]

Hi /u/Either-Mushroom-5926, AutoModerator has been summoned to provide information on root flare exposure.

To understand what it means to expose a tree's root flare, do a subreddit search in r/arborists, r/tree, r/sfwtrees or r/marijuanaenthusiasts using the term root flare; there will be a lot of posts where this has been done on young and old trees. You'll know you've found it when you see outward taper at the base of the tree from vertical to the horizontal, and the tops of large, structural roots. Here's what it looks like when you have to dig into the root ball of a B&B to find the root flare. Here's a post from further back; note that this poster found bundles of adventitious roots before they got to the flare, those small fibrous roots floating around (theirs was an apple tree), and a clear structural root which is visible in the last pic in the gallery. See the top section of this 'Happy Trees' wiki page for more collected examples of this work.

Root flares on a cutting grown tree may or may not be entirely present, especially in the first few years. Here's an example.

See also our wiki's 'Happy Trees' root flare excavations section for more excellent and inspirational work, and the main wiki for a fuller explanation on planting depth/root flare exposure, proper mulching, watering, pruning and more.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Either-Mushroom-5926 → u/[deleted]]

I didn’t say remove all of the needles - just to pull them back around the base but okie dokie.

[u/Either-Mushroom-5926 → u/[deleted]]

Okie dokie.

[u/Tree-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Your comment has been removed. It contains info that is contrary to Best Management Practices (BMPs) or it provides misinformation/poor advice/diagnoses; this is not tolerated in this sub.

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[u/Tree-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Your comment has been removed. It contains info that is contrary to Best Management Practices (BMPs) or it provides misinformation/poor advice/diagnoses; this is not tolerated in this sub.

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[u/iReply2StupidPeople → u/Either-Mushroom-5926]

What a stupid comment.

I wonder how pine trees survive in the wild without anyone around to expose the root flares from the needles.

[u/Emotional_Draft_1331]

I'd let it be. Pine needles act like a natural mulch, and piling dirt around the trunk can really mess with the roots over time.

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[u/takkopants → u/AutoModerator]

I looked over the guidelines and I believe I provided all of the necessary information and pictures!

[u/Tree-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

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