QuestionI have lived at my home in Northern MS going on 15-yrs there is a large Oak tree about 9ft from my front porch we are kind of on a slope (not really a hill) & over the years w/rain the roots of the tree are getting exposed due to dirt washing away, we also have dogs that have started to dig around the roots looking for a cool spot to lay. I would like to help save this tree since it is SO close to my home. I have laid cross-ties down that make a square around the tree 10ft X 34ft; want to get some pro-mix soil to fill to about 4-5in & lay some grass that will grow in the shade OR lay some chicken wire (so dogs won't dig) & lay down some stepping stones. The tree is 6ft round.
We have other Oak trees in our yard but this is the only one where the roots are getting exposed. Sorry don't have any pictures.
Please Help!
AnswerI would not add any more soil than what it will take to just cover the exposed roots. Any more will cause the soil to compact and kill some of the feeder roots and cause the foliage of the tree to die back. Do not use stone this will add too much weight to the soil compacting the air spaces causing the foliage to die. After you add any soil I would fertilize the tree with 10-10-10 fertilizer at the rate of 1 lb per inch of trunk diameter scattered around the tree and watered in good.
