Thread: Raising soil level around gum tree

If you cover around the trunk of trees with woodchips etc you encourage collar rot. This would be the same with soil but the gravel may work by allowing the air to circualte aroung the trunk.

It's really not good for the tree, for several reasons.

You haven't said what diameter the trunks are, but if they're smallish (say 6") you can cut the bottom out of an 18"+ black plastic pot, slit down one side of it so you can slip it around the trunk and use it as a retaining wall to keep the soil away from the tree's base.

You need a fairly large air-gap between the pot and the trunk... I'd hazard to say that 6" is about the minimum. If the gap bothers you, you can lay a few pavers or small slabs of slate around the top to minimise the visual effect, but you do need to leave enough ventilation that if/when you lift them off, the hole is about as dry as the surface soil. (Dark & moist = fungus.)

Larger trees, same principle but it's hard finding old pots to cut up at that size. Perhaps a few bricks as a retaining wall?

Given enough time the trees will fill the gap, but as they "grow into it" it doesn't seem to be as much of a problem as suddenly piling up the dirt all in one go...

(PS: The above has been whispered in my ear by she of the green-thumbs. Just thought I'd mention it while she wasn't looking. )

Only 4 to go Skew keep going you will make it tonight.