Root Pruning Cancel The title field is required!

1. Manning Chad A

   
   11/7/2011 10:11 AM

   We are needing to do some root pruning and I am wondering if anybody has any ideas outside of a vibratory plow or trencher. Our course is out in the sticks and nobody around has a vibratory plow and trenching is more disruptive than we want to be. As it is we are thinking of building our own but thought I would check and see if anybody had any other creative ideas.

   
   
   
   
2. Brett Morris

   

   0 posts
   
   11/7/2011 12:11 PM

   Try and get your hands on one of these:
   
   http://www.rootpruner.com
   
   We go twice per year around the perimeter of our holes. A great machine with no cleanup, all you see are two slits in the turf which heals over quick. I'm in Australia but you should be able to access in the US.
   
   Brett.

   
   
   
   
3. Andy Jorgensen

   

   1 posts
   
   11/7/2011 4:11 PM

   See if your rental yard has the trenchers that are more of a wheel with teeth. Look like a saw blade. Some of these I have found only dig a 2" trench to a depth of 12", which is about perfect for root pruning trees without a lot of cleanup.
   
   Something like this:
   
   http://eztrench.com/trenchers.html

   
   
   
   
4. Kyle Fick

   

   4 posts
   
   11/8/2011 8:11 AM

   Another thing to think about is if opening a trench, do you want to put a barrier in there to minimize future root pruning needs. A few years back, we did a perimiter of a green, lined with galvanized roofing steel 2x thick, and the hope is this will block any future needs anymore. Once the suckers from the roots under the greens die that is.
   
   Kyle Fick

   
   
   
   
5. Denholm John S

   
   11/10/2011 4:11 PM

   I second the rootpruner.com tool. That device is perfect for rootpruning. I do not know where you are located but Genesis Turfgrass Inc. has one that they rent. They are located in York Pa.
   
   John Denholm

   
   
   
   
6. Chris Flowers

   

   0 posts
   
   7/23/2015 3:07 PM

   Anyone know of where I can rent a root pruner in North or South Carolina? Also, which pruner should I look for?

   
   
   
   
7. Dru Clark

   

   0 posts
   
   7/23/2015 6:07 PM

   Chris , I spoke with Sam Green since he represents Imantis about this and the cost to rent is around 3k per day so to do the enire course you could buy one.

   
   
   
   
8. Clay Putnam

   

   33 posts
   
   7/23/2015 7:07 PM

   Rent a trencher or a vibratory plow.

   
   
   
   
9. Chris Flowers

   

   0 posts
   
   7/23/2015 7:07 PM

   Dru Clark said: Chris , I spoke with Sam Green since he represents Imantis about this and the cost to rent is around 3k per day so to do the enire course you could buy one.

   
   
   Oh WoW!! Yea, guess I will be looking for an alternative. I've got to do something, we have roots galore from all the long leafs.

   
   
   
   
10. James Smith

    

    112 posts
    
    7/24/2015 6:07 AM

    I built one using a homemade three point hitch with a cultivation blade taken off of our boxblade. It does a really good job on any roots under 6".
    
    I took a class on trees at the GIS a few years back which was really great (I highly reccommend it). in that class the teacher had discussed root prunning and the one most important fact that he tought was that from every root cut you will get five new roots to come off of it. This is very important to remember when you start a root prunning program. you would need to start pruning as far away from the tree as you feel is possible under your condition. that way every time you go back to prune you can move 6"-1' closer to the tree in order to only prune the single root from your previous pruning. If you cut one root and it turns into five and you go outside of these to prune the next time you end up with 25 new roots off of the original root! and thats just one of the roots under the ground in which has hundreds.
    
    Just plan ahead is all.
    
    Another point he made was just how much of a trees roots can you prune at one time! he showed us documented proof that you can prune three sides without killing the tree but when doing so you need to make sure you have not weakened the tree to natures forces. If you get high northernly winds, you most likely should not prune the north side roots along with the east and west, it will leave you more then likely with a tree that may simply get blown over especially if you get soaken rains along with the winds. I try not to prune more the two sides at one time.

    
    
    
    
11. Andy Jorgensen

    

    1 posts
    
    7/24/2015 3:07 PM

    We had a guy out this week with the Imants Root Pruner. The thing is sweet. We did the whole course in one day. Well worth having him do it, rather than us.
    
    Another option is renting a vibratory plow/cable puller. No cleanup and one guy can run it.

    
    
    
    
12. Chris Flowers

    

    0 posts
    
    7/25/2015 7:07 AM

    Thanks everyone!

    
    
    
    
13. Steven Scott

    

    0 posts
    
    7/25/2015 8:07 AM

    James Smith said: I built one using a homemade three point hitch with a cultivation blade taken off of our boxblade. It does a really good job on any roots under 6".

    
    
    
    You don't happen to have any photos of this do you? I've got access to lots of old farm equipment that I could fabricate something. I don't think the local rental company would appreciate me intentionally running their vibratory plow or cable puller through a bunch of tree roots. They are causing us fairway and green problems along with some cartpaths that no matter how much asphalt you pour they always stay rough.