Air Spading – What Does it Do and What Results Does it Yield?

Air spading is a process arborists use to combat a common issue affecting trees – soil compaction.

If your trees aren’t as healthy as they should be, it could be down to soil compaction. Air spading is a non-invasive treatment for soil compaction, offering many advantages for your tree’s health!

What is Soil Compaction?

Soil compaction is when the soil around the root system of a tree becomes too tight and compacted, resulting in suffocation of the tree’s root system.

Eventually, the soil becomes so compacted that it has less space to hold air and moisture. Trees require abundant air and water to remain healthy, so soil compaction becomes a severe issue for tree health.

What Does Air Spading Do?

Air spading involves high-pressure jet sprays to reduce compacted soil beneath a tree. The air spade nozzle is inserted into the soil around the tree’s base, spraying compressed air to loosen the compacted soil.

This results in a more “crumblier” soil, which allows more air and water to pass through the tree roots, ensuring maximum nutritional intake for optimal tree health.

Air spading also allows for easier root inspection, where you can determine if the roots need to be pruned to encourage better development.

What to Expect From Air Spading?

Reduced Soil Compaction – Healthier Tree Roots – Increased Tree Growth.

By blasting air through compacted soil, air spading loosens the soil, making it easier for the roots to absorb water and air. This will allow your trees to absorb more nutrients while improving soil drainage.

This process also gives the tree roots more access to air and water while encouraging more root development. The more roots, the more nutrients the trees absorb, leading to a healthier tree.

Posted in Trees