It’s time to “free the flare,” the root flare that is. If the lines of a tree trunk are parallel as they disappear at the soil or mulch level, the tree is either planted too deeply or ...

"Don't do it. Just don't do it," Sue pleads in the video. "We're pulling the mulch away from the flare of the tree." The root flare is where a tree's trunk widens at the base before entering the soil, ...

This tree succumbed to root girdling, which is not always visible above ground. (Photo by James Campbell) The root flare is the point where the woody tissue on the tree’s main stem turns into roots.

The top of the root ball isn’t an accurate guide for determining the planting depth for your new tree. Instead, locate the trunk flare — the place where the trunk widens at ground level.

When trees blew over in high winds, the primary reason was from root damage, root decay or saturated soils. If you picture the tree as a wine glass, the root flare is the base of the wine glass.

Proper tree planting techniques, according to University of Minnesota tree specialists, include digging a hole wide enough for roots to spread out but not too deep — the tree root flare where ...

If your tree has already been mulched and has been volcano mulched, simply dig out the excess, exposing the root flare and creating that 1-2-inch gap between the stem and the mulch. This simple act is ...

A recent study by the Dept. of Agriculture showed us that the average lifespan of an urban tree was only around 23 years. One of the reasons for the short lifespan is the lack of adequate root space.

These practices may kill a tree, stress it, or hasten its demise. Plant your new tree deeply. By planting too deeply you discourage oxygen from getting to the roots, leading to decline and hastening ...