Girdling Roots and Grafting

Old Monkey

Old Monkey

Treehouser
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Mar 9, 2005
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Do some types of trees roots graft together? Some maples seem to end up with almost solid root pans at their bases. Are all the roots just squeezed together and still separate or do they graft onto each other? I looked at a horrendous girdled maple this evening for a neighbor where cutting the girdling roots seems unfeasible but wonder if the tree will be a goner or if the tissues will graft together.
 
Yes many species self graft readily-maple among them.-Watch the roots as you are grinding them sometime-some do remain isolated by bark but much of that root plate IS grafted.
 
Root grafting is how this happens and one way some tree diseases are spread like Dutch elm
 

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I have heard tell that Beech (Fagus) is a common tree to voluntarily self graft and I would assume that would mean it may be more likely to graft to others if presented with the opportunity.
 
I always thought that dis-similar trees do not graft with each other. Experiments with Round-up seem to confirm this.
 
I see a lot of what seems to be girdling roots on silver maple, and many are actually grafted together. I tend to leave most overlapping roots after pruning out the girdling roots up above the root flare or any isolated roots coming up over main buttress roots.

I've also seen pines in a small group die when one or two in a group are removed, and I've wondered if it's due to removing a large part of the foliage from a shared root system.
 
I read somewhere that almost all trees can graft their roots onto another tree's if they are the same species. It makes it wierd to look at a patch of 3rd growth forest, which is 100% douglas fir around here, and realize that you are seeing one gigantic organism.
 
sotc said:
I missed this, my stump guy charges extra for maples as they always have more wood under ground than most trees
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:lol:


Thats funny. Charge more because its a maple. What a crock.
 
They are pretty soft and grind super easy. Our oaks are quite a bit harder and take a bit longer to grind, but pine is the slowest grinding because of the sap and tenacious wood grain.
 
My guy always asks me what kind of tree it is. That will determine the price.

We have a group of Beech at the house that the roots are exposed and all grafted. Looks cool as hell.
 
brendonv said:
We have a group of Beech at the house that the roots are exposed and all grafted. Looks cool as hell.
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Yes they can be quite ornamental! 8)

Seldom do stem-girdling roots graft with the stem, so even big ones can and should be pruned.

Often root-girdling roots graft, so no reason to prune them. It can be tricky telling stem from root. I try to wiggle the girdler, and if it moves then it usually can be whacked.

All the skinny about root care here: http://secure.isa-arbor.com/webstore/Landscape-Below-Ground-III-P403.aspx
Lots of good stuff from Europe in there; it was a cool conference.
Page 381 has the new and improved version of the attached. :D
 

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Read a book? Wow, you've got some radical ideas don't you.
 
top hopper said:
:lol:


Thats funny. Charge more because its a maple. What a crock.
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Not really. Our Bigleaf Maple has a very large root mass just below the surface. If the tree has any years on it, you are looking at much more to grind. Big seemingly solid mass of roots.
 
sotc said:
So all stumps of similar size cost the same in Minnesota? None are harder or softer than others?
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Well yes some are harder and some are softer. Maple being softer. IMO harder wooded stumps grind easier than soft. But yes to answer your question, pricewise, a stump is a stump. Price is calculated by the inch, specie has no impact on price.
 
wiley_p said:
Not really. Our Bigleaf Maple has a very large root mass just below the surface. If the tree has any years on it, you are looking at much more to grind. Big seemingly solid mass of roots.
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Here a standard grinding will go about 8-10 inches deep. Any deeper and your looking at an extra deep and wide grinding which costs much more.

Makes me wish I had a grinder in Cali., Id have all of you guy's business.
 
The guy I use said the same thing as you. Willow and Pine will be tough, as an Oak or Maple grind real easy.

Carl's grinders so big I don't think it'd matter if it was concrete or steel.
 
Dirt cheap but more expensive for certain species. How bout reasonable across the board?
 
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