When a tree or lawn begins to decline in health and in growth, commercial property owners often scramble to determine the cause. Some might suspect poor watering, insect infestations, or hidden damages. Although these three can lead to poor growth for lawns and trees, a common culprit often overlooked by commercial property owners is poor soil health. In today’s blog post, we’ll look at three things that may be wrong with your soil, and offer suggestions to correct soil problems and preserve the life of lawns and shade trees.
Soil Compaction
One of the most common threats to soil health comes from soil compaction. Soil compaction occurs when soil is pressed together tightly due to the weight of heavy equipment or foot traffic, which limits air and water infiltration, deteriorates soil structure, decreases soil porosity, prohibits root expansion, and limits plant and tree growth. Compacted soil can easily be restored through Soil Aeration services, where Landscape Professionals use aeration equipment to remove small holes from the soil to aid in the infiltration of water and air into the soil, and help soften the structure of the soil to promote root expansion.
Soil Erosion
Over time, soil can erode from a commercial or industrial property due to wind, heavy rainfall, or frequent lawn maintenance involving the use of blowers. As soil erodes, trees and plants not only lose their source of nutrients and minerals, but they also can become unstable as there is less soil available to keep the tree upright. When soil erodes to the point of exposing large sections of tree roots, or making the tree unstable, then it is important to have Landscape Professionals apply healthy, nutrient-rich soil around the tree to promote stability and encourage tree growth.
Soil Contamination
Due to nearby construction, demolition projects, and even pesticide and herbicide applications on neighboring properties, soil can quickly become contaminated. Trees and plants can experience an immediate adverse reaction to soil contamination, and the soil may also suffer long-term effects, rendering areas of the commercial property useless for years to come. Rather than let healthy trees and plants suffer damages or even succumb to death from soil contamination, commercial property owners can make sure that rainwater drainage from neighboring properties flows away from healthy shade trees and plants. In addition to improved property drainage, commercial property owners can also have contaminated soil removed and replaced with healthy, organic soil to minimize the impact on their property.
No matter what causes soil problems on your commercial, retail, or industrial site, LMC offers a full range of soil and tree care solutions to protect the health, value, and beauty of your commercial property for years to come. LMC’s team of Landscape Professionals offer Soil Aeration, Soil Analysis, Tree Fertilization, Vegetation Management, and Cabling and Bracing services to ensure trees remain healthy and stable. Contact LMC today for more information, or go online to request a free consultation.