Marianne's Response
Planting around the base of a tree
I have a spruce tree in my back yard and I have built an 8″x8″x15″ high raised bed around the tree. I want to put a base of stone and then about 10 inches of dirt on top for planting flowers or maybe part of my vegetable garden. Question is: will I kill the tree if I cover up the base of it?
Posted by Bob Coates on September 30, 2014
Marianne's Response
No worries. The roots of that tree extend far out from the trunk and as long as the trunk does not have soil over one foot up around the base the tree should be fine. Most arborists will say that any soil around the trunk can encourage rot, and this is true. My experience has shown otherwise, so I would take the riskâbut not if you really love that tree and want to be sure it is always in the best of health.
Keep growing,
Marianne Binetti
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