Forestry mulching & oaks

[EMFlorida]

Hi all! Last year I purchased my first piece of property - 6.5 acres in muggy FL. Since then, I've been a lurker on these boards, dreaming tractor dreams!

I'm looking for some unbiased information from people who have actually done this before, or had it done for them. I have several live oaks (various stages of maturity) that are being choked out by invasive trees. Would a forestry mulcher cause problems for the oaks? Would I want to stay out past the canopy of each oak? Or will any root damage near the soil surface not affect the tree much?

My arborist and the extension agent are telling me to NOT mulch anywhere near oaks. However, mulcher operators tell me it's not a problem. Is that because they're not seeing the results of the damage that might take time to show up (years later?)?

Thank you!!

 

[AchingBack]

I have not had it done, but I can tell you something I read about sudden oak death syndrome: When one of the affected trees was investigated, it was discovered one of its roots had traveled way beyond the drip line.

Go with the advice from your arborist and the extension agent.

The Root Zone for Live Oak Trees | Home Guides | SF Gate
See this: Live oak root spread - Ask an Expert

 

[EMFlorida]

That's good information - thank you, AchingBack! I really would hate to lose the oaks.

 

[polkwrangler]

from florida here also..i would stay at least on edge of drip line of the oaks..too much capction of soil is bad on them ,I even had some oaks die after the hurricane from standing water too long

 

[Silvic]

Mulching does not have to disturb the soil. It certainly can and many land clearing companies claim to be forestry mulchers but they are not, they are land clearing companies. They know nothing about forestry mulching. Sometimes you need to get into the soil other times you avoid getting into the soil. It depends upon what the prescription is for the area where the mulching is to take place. I would not let the mulchers get into the soil inside the drip line and maybe 1.25 of the drip line.
My advise is worth what you pay for it but you need to be aware of who some of these folks out there really are and what they know or do not know.

 

[GirlWhoWantsTractor]

Hi all! Last year I purchased my first piece of property - 6.5 acres in muggy FL. Since then, I've been a lurker on these boards, dreaming tractor dreams!

I'm looking for some unbiased information from people who have actually done this before, or had it done for them. I have several live oaks (various stages of maturity) that are being choked out by invasive trees. Would a forestry mulcher cause problems for the oaks? Would I want to stay out past the canopy of each oak? Or will any root damage near the soil surface not affect the tree much?

My arborist and the extension agent are telling me to NOT mulch anywhere near oaks. However, mulcher operators tell me it's not a problem. Is that because they're not seeing the results of the damage that might take time to show up (years later?)?

Thank you!!

I would trust the extension agent; not the mulcher operator.

And YES, it could be because they never see the results of the damage. I suspect they don't go back a couple years later to check. And it may depend on the tree species. Some you can slice and dice, others not so much.

I was a landscaper in Florida for 10 years....my questions would be, what species are the invasive trees? what's the percentage of oaks vs the invasive trees? how tall are the oaks vs the invasive? A picture would help. In most cases, I would rather chainsaw the invasive species one-by-one. A picture would really help.

With some species of invasive, it may already be too late; I hope not.

 

[EMFlorida]

from florida here also..i would stay at least on edge of drip line of the oaks..too much capction of soil is bad on them ,I even had some oaks die after the hurricane from standing water too long

Hey, neighbor!

Ah, sorry to hear about your oaks from the hurricane. Losing oaks make my heart hurt.

Good thought about the compaction of soil. I hadn't considered that. Thank you!

Whelp.. looks like I'll be gettin' in there and doing all this by hand! Guess that means I get a new chainsaw, at least.

 

[tjkubota93]

Hey, neighbor!

Ah, sorry to hear about your oaks from the hurricane. Losing oaks make my heart hurt.

Good thought about the compaction of soil. I hadn't considered that. Thank you!

Whelp.. looks like I'll be gettin' in there and doing all this by hand! Guess that means I get a new chainsaw, at least.

After using a little tractor and a chainsaw, I would recommend goats. The problem then is keeping them contained. I have heard they like poison ivy and all kinds of stuff.

 

[EMFlorida]

Thank you, Silvic! These guys do actually have forestry mulchers - he said his goes down about 1/2-1" into the soil. I do plan on having them come out and clean up fenceline (rows of dead evergreens all along 2 fencelines!), and think that's a much better candidate for mulching than around the oaks.

I appreciate your thoughts!

 

[EMFlorida]

I would trust the extension agent; not the mulcher operator.

Yeah, I think you're right. My goal is to help the oaks, and I'd be very upset if I killed them instead.

I was a landscaper in Florida for 10 years....my questions would be, what species are the invasive trees? what's the percentage of oaks vs the invasive trees? how tall are the oaks vs the invasive? A picture would help. In most cases, I would rather chainsaw the invasive species one-by-one. A picture would really help.

The invasives are mostly camphor and Chinese tallow. Everything from seedlings to maybe 15ft tall. The area is probably 3/4 of an acre, 8 oaks (not all live oaks), and 95% invasive trees. It looks like someone was maintaining the area up until maybe 5 or so years ago - the oaks appear older than the others.

My current plan is to do cut stump treatments (with Garlon 3A) on all of the invasives, regardless of their size. Once I've confirmed they're not resprouting, I'll have to go back and remove the stumps somehow.. this is all in the middle of my horse pasture, and those 1-2" stumps are especially bad for hooves.

Thank you for your insight!