Tried air spading on a live oak in Houston, nearly killed the tree

I had this big live oak that looked healthy on top but the soil was packed like concrete from years of foot traffic. So I rented an air spade, figured I'd loosen things up around the root flare. Job was in a tight backyard near the Heights, took me about 3 hours to do a 10-foot circle. Next week the leaves started yellowing and dropping like it was fall in August. I called a buddy who does urban forestry, he said I probably hit a bunch of fine feeder roots too hard with the air pressure. I learned you gotta ease up on those guns around older trees, even if the soil is hard. Anyone else here blow out roots on accident with an air spade?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_max28d ago

LMAO my neighbor hit a water line with his air spade last spring and flooded his whole driveway.

the_linda28d ago

You said the soil was packed like concrete so I get why you went for it, but on old oaks that hardpan can actually be protecting the roots from worse damage.

adam_patel27d ago

Funny you say that, I've heard the same from a few arborists around here. Hardpan can be a pain but it sometimes does more good than harm in those old root zones. Guess we don't always know what's best from the surface, right?