Core/Trench Composting: A proven way to treat weak mature trees and other important struggling trees.

We start by carefully hand-digging 10” wide radial trenches extending beyond the drip line of the tree. We then excavate these trenches to a 12” depth using an air spade (a compressed air power tool). We blow out the soil from the trenches and holes and replace it with our custom designed blend of compost, site soil and root enhancing materials. These trenches act as fast lanes in which the tree roots can take off. We then drill 2-foot deep holes in between these trenches throughout the entire root zone. We remove the soil from the trenches and holes and replace with our custom designed compost/soil mixture.

Included in this mixture are different varieties of high quality compost and indigenous leaf litter which we inoculate with protozoa and nematodes. We finish this process by adding mycorrhizal fungi.

While we are there we use our air spade to excavate the soil around trees buried too deeply without risking damage to the bark or roots. We also examine the bases of trees to find girdling roots and remove them when appropriate. If the soil around a tree is too compacted, we use the air spade to fluff up and mix premium compost in with the soil.