From the Louisiana-Certified Arborists at Bayou Tree Service
Bayou Tree Company is dedicated to the preservation and care of Louisiana’s trees. However, sometimes a tree's root structure may need to be pruned for a number of reasons.
If you have a tree or group of trees who's roots are interfering with your structure or construction project, we’re here to help. Bayou Tree Service has been part of south Louisiana since 1980 with fully staffed offices and local teams in New Orleans and Baton Rouge to better serve you!
If you would like to find out how much it will cost to prune a tree's roots, please request a consultation in New Orleans at (504) 608-0523 or in Baton Rouge (225) 401-0084.
When does a tree's roots need to be pruned?
- Prior to transplanting
- When planning construction near the tree
- When the roots have grown to compromise a near by structure
- When poor mulching practices or erosion have exposed the roots
- To slow a trees growth
- To encourage flowering (in certain kinds of trees)
What is Airspading?
Somtimes work must happen too close to a tree to allow the roots to be safely pruned back. When this is the case we use airspading which is a high preasure air blasting technology that blows the soil away from around the tree's roots without damaging the roots themselves allowing irrigation, electrical, or other flexable sub-surface lines to be non-destructively manuvoured between the roots. Airspading is also helpful for diagnosing root problems and loosening compacted soil which may be preventing proper neutriant absorbtion.
Avoid DIY Disasters
You may be tempted to do a little research online and try your hand at pruning your own tree's roots. However, as licensed arborists, we can tell you it’s not always as easy as it looks! Here are a few reasons to consider calling a professional arborist rather than doing it yourself:
- Safety & Digging Hazards – Digging around trees to prune thier roots, requires the use of potentially dangerous equipment, and digging holes deep enough that you risk cutting into buried electrical wires, irrigation lines, and plumbing.
- Excessive trauma – Pruning a tree's roots requires proper and well maintained equipment. Using dull or inadequate equipment can shred the roots leaving the tree more vulnerable to infection and improper healing.
- Different Trees have different needs – Louisiana is home to dozens of common tree species, each with thier own unique root structures. Unlike a tree's canopy, the roots are hidden under ground, and the only way to know where to cut them is by being intimately familiar with the tree species you are working on. Pruning a tree without understanding it's root structure is likely to cause irreparable damage.
- Stunt, damage & kill the tree – Pruning too close to the tree or cutting back roots at the wrong time can stress your tree which makes it more susceptible to pests, disease or damage. Pruning a tree's roots also make the tree more likely to be knocked over in a storm.
Bayou Tree Service has fully staffed crews in both metro New Orleans and Baton Rouge who have extensive experience with tree root pruning in each local market. Please contact us today to start the process .
