Fall is when the growing season slows down and conditions are right for tree recuperation, making it the best time for a root collar excavation in Ottawa. What exactly is root collar excavation?
The base of the tree, where the trunk flares into the primary structural roots, is often located right under excess soil or mulch.
Root suffocation can occur when this excess restricts oxygen diffusion to the root zone.
This can also lead to bark decay, as well as girdling roots that strangle the tree’s trunk.
If ignored, the tree’s health can decline.
To make matters worse, this hidden damage continues to spread.
Root collar excavation exposes the flare again, and if done correctly, can enhance tree protection and promote a stronger trunk.
It lays the groundwork for more vigorous root growth.
How Root Collar Excavation Helps
A tree root collar, also known as a root crown, is intended to remain visible above the soil line.
Problems occur when it’s covered, as it can lead to trapped moisture and fungal growth, among other issues.
A buried root crown invites girdling roots, which can choke water and nutrients from moving through the tree trunk͏.
Professional arborists use air spading with compressed air to clear soil without cutting fine roots.
This protects the root zone and leaves the root ball intact͏.
Once the roots are exposed, the arborist performs light root pruning to remove girdling roots or those affected by decay.
ISA-certified Arborists draw on years of experience to determine the best approach for each tree species and site condition.
When you hire professional root excavation services, noticeable improvements may appear within one growing season.
Signs Your Tree Needs Help
For healthy trees, early correction is the most effective form of tree protection.
The signals are easy to miss unless you know what to watch for.
- If the tree’s trunk looks straight into the soil without a flare, the collar is buried.
- Thinning leaves, smaller than usual, or early leaf drop.
- Fungal growth or root rot around the base of a tree.
- Sprouts along the trunk of the tree instead of at the canopy.
- Deadwood forming in the upper canopy.
Why Fall Is the Best Time for Root Collar Excavation in Ottawa
As the growing season slows in fall, the tree needs less water and energy.
The stress from excavation or root pruning doesn’t compete with heavy growth.
Soil conditions in fall are also ideal͏.
- Cooler air with warmer soil means less drying on exposed roots.
- Air spading is clean and precise. It removes soil while preserving the fine roots and natural structure within the critical root zone.
- In the summer, exposed roots can desiccate in just a few hours. In the fall, the risk is lower.
It’s also preparation for winter.
- Snow and ice put weight on the trunk of the tree and its limbs.
- A buried root collar weakens support.
- Exposing it helps restore proper anchorage and stability over time, reducing storm-related risk.
In fact, most arborists prefer to schedule excavation around Halloween.
By spring, the collar has remained exposed for months, allowing the tree to resume vigorous growth.
Root collar excavation should only be done when the soil is neither frozen nor saturated.
In Ottawa, late fall, before the ground freezes, is an ideal time.
Benefits That Show Quickly
Root collar excavation in the fall improves the health of your trees in visible ways.
- Exposed collars dry out͏, reducing tree diseases like Phytophthora and stopping root rot.
- Stronger anchorage in the dripline and root zone for better storm resistance͏.
- Longer lifespan for mature trees, protecting decades of growth.
- Lower costs for property managers through preventative care͏.
Other Tree Care Tips for Fall
Deep root fertilization gives nutrients before freeze-up.
Cabling and bracing weak branches keep them safe from snow damage.
Tree pruning and tree trimming remove deadwood and maintain the structure’s balance.
For healthy trees in spring, consider fall planting as well.
When you plant trees in cooler weather, the soil supports new root growth without heat stress.
The right trees, planted at the proper depth for optimal growth, bounce back quickly.
If the root ball is set too deep, though, collars bury again.
That’s why tree care professionals emphasize the importance of planting depth and tree protection from the very beginning.
Mulch helps too.
Wood chips spread in a flat ring protect moisture in the root zone.
Avoid mulch volcano piles against the trunk, as they can cause decay.
DIY vs Professional Help
When should you call the professionals?
For a new tree planted shallow, a homeowner can sometimes correct the planting depth with hand tools.
Just remember that bigger jobs demand tree care professionals.
Light fixes, such as quickly removing excess soil or mulch, can be done by yourself.
However, mature trees need professional help͏.
Air spading, root pruning, and post-care adjustments need precision.
Why Arborists Matter
Professional tree care means you will have access to trained professionals and the proper tools.
A tree care professional knows how to protect the root crown, judge planting depth from the original root ball͏, and adjust growing conditions without damaging the tree unnecessarily.
ISA-certified Arborists provide precision air spading, as well as other tree care services that can help during the colder months.
Professionals also identify what homeowners miss, which can include fungal pathogens, inadequate planting depth, or mulch volcano mistakes, and many other problems the untrained eye cannot see.
For Ottawa’s older neighbourhoods and construction projects involving heritage trees, this level of tree care expertise is required.
Indeed, the investment in professional help is small compared to the cost of tree removal or property damage that may result later.
Save Your Trees Today
Fall is the best time to save your trees in Ottawa.
You can’t see the stress your trees are under, and once it becomes visible, recovery takes longer.
Call Eastern Ontario Arborists today for a free quote͏.
Our ISA-certified arborists will clear the root crown, correct girdling roots, and improve growing conditions for long-term tree protection.