Location improvement or growth location improvement of trees
By carrying out a site improvement or growth site improvement you will give your tree a better condition again. And you improve and revitalize the health of your tree. This increases the tree's chances of survival. A healthy tree can also better defend itself against attackers (insects and fungi) and can tolerate pruning better. If the latter proves necessary.
A tree can weaken, temporarily or long-term. And this is visible. Because of the weakening, the life expectancy of the tree also decreases. A site improvement is often necessary to save a tree from its final phase. Or from dying.
What is the difference between the location and growth location of a tree?
The location of a tree is the geographical location where the tree is located. This could be a forest or a flower bed. Or a verge along the street or sidewalk. Also be a dike or a meadow. The term location says nothing about the quality of the place where the tree is located.
Site improvement of a Scots pine (Pinus silvestris) in Brussels. The wood from a felled fir tree from the same garden was used for soil improvement. Discs were then sawn from the trunk. And used as an ecological walking path. As a result, the footsteps of walkers are less damaging to the location of the Scots pine. The latter can also be part of a site improvement.
This brings us to the term 'growth place'. This refers to the (qualitative) properties of the location. A suitable growing place for a tree is a place that is neither too wet nor too dry. That has sufficient space for the roots to penetrate. Which contains the right nutrients (minerals, trace elements). And allows sufficient oxygen to pass through. And it has many other soil properties that are tailored to the well-being of a healthy tree. A good growing location offers development opportunities for a tree.
In general, in Belgium, only the term location is often used. This also refers to the properties of the place where the tree is located. So the growing place.
By site improvement we actually mean growth site improvement. In tree care in Belgium people always talk about site improvement. In the Netherlands, however, people talk more about growing area improvement.
Why is the growth location or location of a tree important?
And which factors disrupt the growth and habitat?
The growth or location of a tree is extremely important for the well-being of a tree. Both for the health, condition and vitality of the tree. That is why site improvement or growth site improvement is very useful for weakened trees. Or for trees in poor condition.
A healthy tree can only be achieved by taking care of its growing area.
If there are problems with the growing location of a tree, this will quickly become apparent from the loss of condition. This will make this tree easier to fall prey to diseases and infestations. It is similar to our human body. If we drink too little water, don't sleep enough, eat poor nutrition, or don't exercise enough, we are more likely to get sick.
Site improvement or growth site improvement therefore gives a boost to the condition of the tree.
What is the condition of a tree?
The condition of a tree is the status of its current state of health. It tells you what his current health is like. And how well a tree's life processes perform. The quality of the crown development, with or without larger problem branches, is also part of the condition of a tree.
The condition of a tree can range from very good to very poor and even dying or dead.
Trees in good condition function well, look radiant, and have an abundant crown of leaves. All life processes of the tree then work as they should and the tree grows diligently. The leaf color is deep green, of course depending on the species, and there are leaves on the end of each twig. Or in other words, not a single twig on the outside of the crown is missing a leaf. Because there is light and a healthy tree in good condition, put as many of its leaves there. And this makes the tree function best. He can then handle the maximum photosynthesis do and build up sugars. Which it needs to build up its entire structure, such as leaves, sapwood, bark, branches, twigs, fruits, ... and so on.
Easily recognizable thickness growth and active wound overgrowth are also among the characteristics of good condition.
When a tree is in poor condition, you will notice deviations here. We call this loss of condition.
How do you recognize loss of condition in trees?
Loss of condition in trees can be recognized by various characteristics of a tree:
- no normal leaf formation. Fewer leaves than normal. You can easily see the blue sky through the canopy from under the tree.
- smaller leaves than normal.
- partially dried leaves.
- faster leaf loss than normal.
- no leaf loss in autumn.
- branches that are in the light and yet have no leaves at the end.
- leaf color is less deep green or different.
- branch mortality and top mortality.
- pruning wounds or wounds from natural branch cleaning that do not or hardly grow over.
- rot, fruiting bodies of fungi on the tree, cracks, torsion cracks, cavities, etc.
- not normally developed crown, with large problem branches.
- no or very moderate thickness growth
Site improvement is very useful for trees with branch death (as in this photo). Branch death is often the result of compacted soil. A soil with a lack of oxygen or poor water management.
Do you have doubts about the poor condition of your tree? Or do you have doubts or questions about whether or not a healthy tree?
Then ask us advice by our Certified Tree Manager and leave your tree in time inspect.
In addition to the possibly poor condition, other issues may come to light.
This way, a decision can be made on a sound basis as to whether a site improvement may be necessary.
Or that, in the worst case, we will have your need to fell or cut down a tree if the situation is irreversible. Especially if the tree would pose a danger to the environment.
What is the difference between fitness and vitality? The tree may be in poor condition but good vitality
There are quite a few misunderstandings between the concepts of condition and vitality when it comes to trees.
The condition says something about the tree and its current condition. We explained this above.
The vitality of a tree indicates its ability to respond to stressors that the tree is confronted with, and how the tree deals with them. Trees in poor condition are under stress. And not all trees that are under stress can cope with this.
An example makes this clearer.
When a tree is confronted with storm damage and a very large branch breaks out, the tree is suddenly stressed. A whole part of its leaves or energy factories are gone. If the tree then responds with a lot waterlot These are small groups of leaves that grow directly on (large) branches and the trunk, it quickly compensates for leaf loss. So the tree responds and then we talk about good vitality. If the tree is completely unresponsive, and none waterlot the tree has poor vitality and there is a good chance that it will die over time.
You can improve the condition of a tree by, for example, improving its location, but the tree must have the ability, or be vital enough, to do something with its improved soil.
As a layman, it is not always easy to judge the correct condition and vitality of a tree. However, a experienced arborist and certainly ours Tree Manager, can help you with this.
What are the most disruptive factors for a tree's growing location?
The growing place of trees in a forest, where no people come and where no extreme weather conditions influence it, will not be disturbed. And forms a suitable soil for growing and developing trees. Every year the leaves fall, decompose and thus help create an ideal humus layer and soil.
Disturbed growing areas also occur in built-up and human-used environments.
The most common disruptive factors for a growing site are:
- Soil compaction with limited space for root penetration.
- Too small root space or volume.
- Too wet or too dry location or water management not in order.
- Changing the groundwater level. For example, by switching on and off groundwater drainage or by excavation work.
- Poor soil quality. For example, because of eutrophication or road salt loads. Or poor fertility.
- Ground and excavation work resulting in mechanical root damage.
- Oxygen deficiency.
- Raising the ground level or terrain.
- Competition from other crops or plants. Such as grass under and around the tree or in the tree mirror.
- A combination of the above factors.
A growth site improvement is necessary for trees that exhibit a lack of oxygen. In the photo you can see a lack of oxygen in a badly deteriorated birch. The lack of oxygen can be seen by the dark (blue) discoloration in the sections of the saw cuts.
Investigate the current location to identify soil problems
To map the disturbing factors in the soil, it is crucial that we investigate the location of the tree.
We do this, among other things:
- By digging a test trench (or bottom trench, or root trench) for root research and to determine the groundwater profile.
- Examine the tree roots. Is there a lack of oxygen? Or have tree roots died?
- By measuring the oxygen content in the soil.
- Measure the penetration resistance with a penetrometer.
- Do a soil analysis to determine the chemical composition. And possibly also to map soil life.
- ...
It is necessary to take action at the first signs of loss of condition. When a disruptive factor is found, a location improvement is often indicated.
Due to a severe lack of oxygen, a tree can die in just a few days.
By providing the tree with a quality growing place, it will regain its strength and become healthier. Condition and vitality will increase again. This allows the tree to better repel and slow down attacks and pathogens.
This will increase life expectancy. Especially when you are not carrying out any site improvements.
A healthy tree can only remain healthy if the location is in excellent condition. If the root system can live optimally, we will see a very beautiful crown as a thank you from the tree. Above ground then.
The soil and location are the beginning of everything.
Feel free to make one Appointment with us for one tree advice.
How does b-Tree Tree Care improve the condition of your tree?
When improving a site, we first conduct an investigation into the reason for the declining condition of your tree or trees. This research will provide us with information about all disturbing elements present at the location or growing location.
Afterwards, in consultation with you, we will discuss possible solutions. To make your tree shine again with health.
Possible solutions for a good location improvement
You can carry out a site improvement in different ways. Depending on the soil quality and soil conditions, you will combine one or more solutions to finally solve the problem:
- Land exchange.
- Pop.
- Apply drainage.
- Increase root space.
- Enlarge tree mirror
- Applying compost layer and chopped wood layer.
- Installing irrigation system.
- Installing food chutes.
This always entails minor civil works, which must absolutely not lead to root damage.
Carrying out a successful site improvement is therefore specialist work that is best left to us. You need to take too many factors into account for a successful outcome.
A successful site improvement will be reflected in the increasing condition of your tree year after year. A richer leaf setting. No more dead wood on the outside of the crown. And a deep green leaf color of the leaves.
Do you have any questions? Don't hesitate and let us know. We are happy to answer them and can always do so expert tree advice Offer.
Why is compost and wood chippings good as a site improvement?
A tree mirror with a compost layer containing chopped wood offers many benefits for the tree.
The compost layer is already partially or completely decomposed organic material. With a low nitrogen content. Due to the slow breakdown (digestion), the tree receives its nutrition drop by drop every day. And not with a boost as is the case with a fertilizer. And a compost layer and afterwards also the wood chippings layer itself, because this also starts to decompose, provide daily drop by drop nutrition for many years.
The wood chippings are undecomposed organic material. It provides a second layer on top of the compost layer. And it has multiple functions.
For example, the chopped wood layer will serve as insulation in very dry and hot summer weather. This prevents water from evaporating from the soil (compost layer and deeper). So that the tree has water available. And also in dry weather.
During a very wet period, the chopped wood layer will partially buffer the rainwater. And because the soil under the wood chippings is always moist and earthworms live there, the tunnels that the earthworms dig will also drain the water better. And get it deeper into the ground faster, which is an advantage after a long dry period. The water then reaches the roots faster.
Fungi in the tree trunk as a result of a chipped wood layer
After a site improvement has been carried out, fruiting bodies of fungi often appear in the canopy of the tree. Which is of course very desirable. Here you see fly agarics as ectomycorrhiza-forming symbionts near a birch. The “good” fungi that are ideal for the location of the tree.
The wood chippings layer also harbors fungi (saprophytes and symbionts). They break down the chopped wood very slowly and convert it into absorbable nutrients for the tree. The symbionts (for our native trees ectomycorrhizal symbionts) provide the trees with natural antibiotics and natural fungicides. These protect the trees against respective bacteria and parasitic fungi. The symbionts will get sugars from the tree. Because they have no chlorophyll themselves and cannot produce sugars, this is where the symbiosis lies.
This site improvement ensures a high-quality long-term site for the tree, if the other disturbing factors are also removed.
Can every tree be saved with a site improvement?
To our regret, this is unfortunately not the case.
When a tree is affected by the real honey fungus, gloomy honey fungus, real tinder fungus, an sulfur fungus or another aggressive parasite, a site improvement will no longer be able to save the tree. Extending the lifespan of the tree is sometimes still possible, depending on the stage of damage, the location and the tree species.
Here you see sulfur fungus on a Prunus serotina (bird cherry). With some aggressive parasitic fungal infestations, site improvement is often no longer appropriate.
Here it must be considered whether the investment in a site improvement is worthwhile or not. This will depend on how many years the tree can offer more resistance due to the site improvement. And what this means in years of extra life expectancy for the tree.
The mycological knowledge of arborists Bert Janssens can help you a lot further. Necessary for correctly assessing the situation. And for correct tree advice.
Site improvement is a very powerful way to help a tree get back on track. But if the situation is too bad, improving the location no longer helps. So let us take a thorough look advice indicate whether a site improvement is useful for your tree.
Price of a site improvement. Ask us without obligation.
Every tree location is different. Both in type and size. That is why we kindly ask you can be contacted without obligation.
The price can vary between €300 for a small site improvement and €2.500 or more for a major site improvement. Everything depends on size, accessibility, soil conditions and our travel times.
We are happy to visit you without obligation to offer our best solution and price.
Photos of successful site improvements
Location improvement of a weeping willow (Salix babylonica or Salix pendula) in Hulshout. Here all the prunings were chopped from the hedges and shrubs. The chopped wood was then used as a soil improver. Both for the border at the back of the garden and around the weeping willow.
During this site improvement of a Liriodendron tulipifera in Lier, the grass under the crown projection of the tree was removed. Afterwards, fully developed compost was fed under the crown projection (in the tree mirror). And this layer is covered with chopped wood. An ideal combination. To provide the tree with useful nutrients. Without adding too much nitrogen. A year later, several fruiting bodies of endomycorrhizal symbionts were found. Ideal for the location of the tree.
Second photo of the improvement of the location of the tulip tree in Lier.
Feel free to ask without obligation your question. We are happy to answer them.