Soil compaction might sound like a distant problem, but it is a real threat to a growing tree and creates a challenging environment. Soil aeration is one of the most vital treatments to ensure a healthy and long-living tree that will prosper in potentially unwelcoming soil.
Here's all you need to know about soil aeration and how it helps young trees reach maturity.
What is soil aeration?
Soil aeration is a process where the compacted soil is prodded and re-oxygenated. It is commonly achieved with a plug aerator, which removes small plugs of soil from the ground to provide more space and aerate the soil around it. Alternatively, spike aerators prod the ground to make small channels to introduce oxygen into the earth but can cause further soil compaction if misused.
Soil aeration increases the pore space in the soil. Most compacted soils usually have about 10% of spore or empty space, which is not enough to promote healthy microbial growth that trees need to gain nutrients from roots.
Benefits of soil aeration
Soil aeration has a few simple but significant benefits to tree health. The most crucial benefit of soil aeration is enriching the soil with oxygen to promote microbacterial growth. Microorganisms are vital in providing the necessary nutrients that the tree needs to extract via roots. Young trees desperately need essential nutrients to grow, and an arborist may suggest options beyond soil aeration in case of poor soil nutrient quality.
Another benefit of soil aeration is to prevent droughts. Compact soil can prevent rainfall and water from reaching deeper into the ground. Watering compacted soil means splashing water on the layers where the roots can't get to it. Aerating the soil breaks the hardened layer of earth to let rainfall properly nourish the deeper layers. The improved spore space also adds more channels for water to pass through and get absorbed by the roots.
If a landscaper suggests using fertilizer to enhance your backyard's soil quality, soil aeration will help fertilizer reach deeper into the ground. The nutrients provided by the fertilizer need to settle below the top compacted layer, or else they are effectively useless to the trees.
Heavy rainfall can compact the ground, causing a sharp decline in soil quality despite the obvious abundance of water in the top layers. It can also flush away essential nutrients and absorb oxygen from the ground. Soil aeration can also help restabilize the soil and let water properly get absorbed into the ground, reducing the risk of runoff.
Why are trees important?
Young trees are up to 25% more effective at absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and they become a vital storage of carbon as they get older. An old tree can hold an enormous amount of carbon inside it. Therefore, it's crucial to give young trees the best chance at surviving and flourishing. Soil aeration is one of the steps to achieve proper tree growth and benefits both the garden and the environment as a whole.
Chuck’s Tree Service offers tree trimming and pruning, palm tree trimming, and tree removal, in Pasco, Hernando and Pinellas Counties. 24/7 emergency service. Call us today at 352-747-8182!
