URBAN TREES - SOIL INJECTION

 

DEEP ROOT-SOIL INJECTION FOR TREES

by

PRATHEEBAN MUTHUKUMAR 

Soil Injection

Trees in urban areas must deal with challenges rarely found in nature. Due to nearby construction and paving, trees often find themselves growing in unnatural surroundings. Soils are compacted by construction, roots are severed for foundations, sidewalks, and roadways. Open land that would absorb water to naturally irrigate and fertilize trees is often made “impervious” by this construction or paving activity. To counteract these urban challenges, it is important to provide adequate water and nutrients to the root zones of our trees.

Deep Root Fertilization is a tree care method in which Certified Arborists will use high-pressure equipment to inject a balanced mix of fertilizer and tree nutrients directly into the root base of the tree, thus maximizing the impact of the fertilization in the root system.

This specialized treatment is ideal for promoting shrub and tree health throughout the seasons and various weather conditions. The benefits of deep root fertilization are significant and long-lasting.

First, deep root fertilization promotes tree health by improving the soil around the tree base by reducing soil compaction and providing key soil aeration. Soil aeration enhances a tree's ability to absorb oxygen, water, healthy bacterial organisms, and other essential nutrients within the root system, which allows for greater root function and overall tree health. This specialized fertilization stabilizes the tree's root system and makes the surrounding soil around it healthier for root nutrition and expansion.

Secondly, in our urban environments, the vast areas of concrete and grass immediately surrounding our trees will hinder their ability to regularly absorb water, oxygen, and other nutrients, often compromising tree health. In more natural areas, the decomposed leaves and organic materials of nearby brush and other plants would normally feed a tree. However, in our developed areas, we must supplement the tree's nutrient system through deep root fertilization since concrete areas limit a tree's root system development, and grass near the trees will utilize the same nutrients, oxygen, and water needed by the trees. Deep root fertilization gives trees the opportunity to not only survive but also flourish in our urban environment.

Finally, the fertilizers often applied to trees are just spread on the soil surface, and do not penetrate the root system at all. Wind and rain will further diminish the impact of surface fertilizers by thinning out the nutrients applied to the tree soil. However, deep root fertilization eliminates this problem by applying fertilizer and tree nutrients directly within the root system, which is key for mature trees with deep and vast root systems. When performed by Certified Arborists, the tree will receive the deep root fertilizer at the correct depth within the soil that best benefits the root system

Deep root rigger is multi-function machinery that improves work efficiency at the same time. As we are heading towards a more self-sustaining environment, we are eliminating the usage of synthetic fertilizer and harmful chemicals by replacing them with feeding microbiology to the plants which will result in better health and higher resistant to pests and other viruses and diseases.

The machine has the following functions which can be performed at the same time to achieve multiple good results.

Type of work performed-

·        Deep root fertilizing

·        De-compaction

·        Feeding of Compost Tea/ Organic Matter/ Live Microbiology

·        Efficient Water application

·        Increased pore space for root development- Tree roots have a hard time developing in compacted soil, they need loose dirt with open pores. The tree roots need oxygen to survive, and that needed oxygen is usually found in the pores of the soil.

When the ground beneath a tree is compacted it suffocates the roots and limits their ability to transport much needed water and nutrients to the tree.

When we perform deep root fertilization, it helps create new pore space and alleviates compaction issues. We then inject that solution into the ground with a deep root injection needle. This needle is designed to shoot the fertilizer into the ground at a high rate of pressure100-300 psi. The liquid solution loosens the soil and the pressure causes it to expand, creating new pores

Overall Procedure

THE PROCESS 
There is very little equipment needed – a truck equipped with a tank containing the chemicals, pumps, hoses and reels, and the injection wand.

·        In most cases, for existing structures, injections are done around the perimeter of a foundation. If there are driveways, patios, decks, or other paved surfaces, ¾ inch diameter holes are drilled through the paving to reach the underlying soils.

·        Approximately half a gallon to a gallon (1.8 to 3.7 liter) of liquid is injected for each cubic meter of soil that is being treated.

• The technician monitors the process on a gauge to keep track of the volumes being injected while the other drives the wand down into the ground.
• Injections are typically made on four applications/year to improve the results.
• Soil Injection involves the injection of liquid solutions at regular spacing in the soil throughout the area  directly beneath the canopy, starting from the trunk and extending just beyond the drip line.
• Injections are made under the pressure of about 150 to 300 psi to a depth of 8 to 20-inches.
• Injections are made with a narrow injection probe having a pointed tip with orifices on the sides.
• A ball or trigger the valve controls the flow of liquid to the probe.
• The length of the probe is designed to allow injections to a depth of about 8 to 20-inches
• The probe is connected to a hose line from a pressurized tank. A spray rig is often used, and the spray nozzle is replaced by an injection probe.

Pattern of Injections

Injections are made “on 100cm (1 m).” it simply means that holes are spaced apart every 1m following either a grid pattern or a concentric circular pattern /Linear as diagrammed on the following page. The result is a pattern of evenly spaced holes throughout the area underneath the canopy of the tree.

Soil Injection Fertilizer Mixture

·        Our fertilizer mixture is not a complex mystery of magical goodies of which we hold the secret formula.  It is a fertilizer consisting of tried and true organic properties proven to be effective by top arborists around the globe, as being the most important organic materials for healthy root growth for all plants and trees.

Agricultural Bio Stimulants

Agricultural biostimulants are biological or biologically derived fertilizer additives and similar products that are used in crop production to enhance plant growth, health and productivity. They might achieve this by: 

·        Helping to improve nutrient use efficiency

·        Helping plants tolerate abiotic stresses like heat, cold, drought, and too much water

·        Helping to improve quality attributes like nutritional content, appearance, and shelf-life

·        One of the most prevalent components of our fertilizer mix is humates.  Humates provide a multitude of benefits to both the soil and the tree. 

Humates increase the absorption the efficiency of plant nutrients which reduces the need to continuously add synthetic nitrogen and phosphorous to your soil for root growth

• Humates increase soil aeration; i.e., increases the oxygen content of soil
• Humates promote a greener leaf color and increase the density of foliage
• Humates promote root respiration and absorption of oxygen
• Humates promote better drainage in heavy clay soils
• Humates have additional growth-promoting compounds

Mycorrhizae

Mycorrhizae is a Mycorrhizal fungus that forms symbiotic associations with tree roots called mycorrhizae. This natural symbiosis is essential for the development of trees and shrubs. Intensively tilled soils and growing media contain little or no mycorrhizal fungi.  Mycorrhizae is low host specific and encourages plant diversity.  Mycorrhizae not only helps root absorption it also protects plants from pathogens.

Advantages

·        A natural organic fertilizer/supplement which helps provide microbial activity in poor soils.

·        Increased rooting after transplanting

·        Increased survival

·        Greater tolerance to stresses caused by nutrient deficiency, drought, heat, and root diseases

·        Less plant/tree losses

AdamsEarth® is an organic blend of humic and amino acids, North Atlantic Ascophyllum Nodosum Seaweed Extract (SWE), natural sugars, vitamins, and other organic compounds. The organic nutrients in Adams Earth® will aid in the improvement of soil structure, rooting, and the uptake of N-P-K and minor elements.

Benefits of AdamsEarth®:

·        Improves rooting mass with top growth.

·        Chelates nutrients tied up in soils, such as phosphates and iron.

·        Increases microbial activity.

·        Increases plant vigor and chlorophyll production.

·        Improves heat and cold tolerance.

·        Releases tied up soil nutrients, allowing them to be plant available

Blackstrap Molasses

The sugar energy source for soil microorganisms

Blackstrap Molasses is the by-product of sugar refining that contains all the nutrients from the raw sugarcane plant. Of the varieties of molasses, Blackstrap Molasses is richest in sources of sugars, carbon, enzymes, B-vitamins, and trace elements. Blackstrap Molasses is a carbohydrate energy source that feeds soil microorganisms and increases microbial activity. With continued applications, Blackstrap Molasses encourages a soil environment that helps reduce thatch.

And other soil amendments like Gypsum, Micronutrients, Fungicides, and Fertilizers.

Photos  courtesy of Arborist  Ms.Li Jun (TEHC)

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