Looks like my Citrus tree is choking and growing roots above ground to try and fight the choking. Not sure what's going on. I suspect a neighboring tree aggressive roots is attacking it and choking it out? I dug around the base of the tree and removed several large roots from a neighbors tree. What can I do to stop these invasive roots from attacking my newly planted tree? Should I wrap these roots with a bag full of salt? Or just install some type of barriors.
Tree isn't growing. Seems stunted. Will see if tree will improve after I cut most of the invading roots
My 2 cents: When you say this is a newly-planted tree, I wonder exactly how long it has been in the ground. Perhaps it is too early to say it isn't growing or seems stunted. I'm also curious about what you describe as 'invading roots' because, if your citrus has been in the ground for less than a year, that would be very quick in my opinion for the roots of other plants nearby to become a problem. From your photos, I would say that you have planted the tree too high because you should not see its roots above ground. Absolutely do not use salt to try and solve any problem in the garden. It is toxic and persistant. Finally, it would be useful for people on this forum who might have suggestions for you to see a photo of the entire tree.
it's been planted for 1 year and the roots u see above ground grew in response to the choking roots. the roots from another tree were growing into the smaller tree and surrounding it. basically smothering it.
I have to say, in all my years of growing all sorts of trees in fairly close proximity to one another, I have never experienced the phenomenon you are describing of one tree stunting the growth of another to such a degree after only one year. In my garden, roots intermingle and share the same space until eventually, one species dominates, usually because of the space it commands above ground. It would be interesting and important to know the name of the invading tree you believe is causing such a negative effect on your newly-planted citrus. I suspect it is something I'm not familiar with.
Is it possible that the tree was not planted deep enough to start with? The photo in the second post appears to show a tap root growing horizontally above the soil line. If so, then the roots are not really out of place had the tree been planted deeper.
Not sure, there are several trees and plants with very aggressive roots. I planted a Japanese Maple in the same area and the very fibrous roots were smothering the Japanese maple roots. It took a long while for me to remove the intermingling roots and I replanted the maple elsewhere. The 1 species of plant I can identify are: creeping fig. The other tree I cannot identify but I can find out tomorrow.
I think it is more likely that soil has settled or washed away and exposed roots that were already there. Roots just don't grow like that - or that quickly.
No it clearly grew after the fact. This is the 2nd time it happened and I thought the 1st plant was just sick. Those aren't natural root flare. Very uneven. And growing out at random parts of the trunk. Exactly what happens when a tree trunk is girdled / bottom roots smothered.
Here is the first tree that was planted a few years ago. Started growing random root and I cut them out. This was planted in the spot for 2 years. Never grew so I replaced it with another tree. And the same exact thing happened. This tree is now in a pot. I cut the remaining 2 surface root off and tree is recovering.
AFAIK, citruses have shallow root system, therefore it's not surprising to see roots even above the ground. Trees tend to grow high roots when they have weak support, so staking after planting may avoid those high roots. When making a planting hole for a citrus tree, dig the hole large enough to clear other roots from closest vicinity. The hole should have at least twice the diameter of the root ball. If there are very agressive roots nearby, why not increase the diameter to 4...5 x rootball diameter?
These were the fibrous roots surrounding and intangling the citrus rootball. Hopefully the roots now have room to spread. I cut back the 3 larger roots that all were heading straight to the citrus tree for some reason. Guess that's were they found water.
Update: Looks like the tree is recovering. I'm seeing lots of new growth. Lots of budding too so I might be getting some fruit this year.
