Can we talk about how I planted 60 trees the wrong way until a forester in Bend showed me one thing?

Taylor Patel · 2026-10-07T12:30:03.810711+00:00

I used to dig a deep hole and bury the root flare, thinking that gave the tree a strong start. Then a forester in Bend, Oregon showed me a study where trees planted too deep had a 40% higher death rate after 5 years because girdling roots slowly choked them. I walked my own property and 9 of my 14 trees had that buried flare, so I replanted every one with the flare just above grade. Now I check every root ball before it goes in the ground, no matter how rushed the job is. Anyone here had to dig up trees you planted too deep, and how long before you saw the roots start to circle?

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Can we talk about how I planted 60 trees the wrong way until a forester in Bend showed me one thing? | Arborists - Vivisector