Hello,
I was always wondering why among my 3 trees in the frontyard, one of them was doing very well and the other 2 were struggling. I finally found out that the 2 of them were planted too deep.

I dug out the soil around the trunk to expose the flare as much as possible. During this I noticed some strangely placed roots coming out of the trunk.

Should I cut out the roots and just leave the
flare popping out of the soil?

Should I dig more deep down or is what I have done enough?

Will this help the tree gain more vigor?

First picture is of the strange root.
Second picture is of tree 2 which I have dug out

Thanks,

Ranga

Nice pictures, Ranga.

I would suggest leaving those roots for now. Let the tree adjust for a year, then you can cut a few at a time, allowing the tree 4 to 6 months between to adjust again. Those roots probably grew upward after the tree was planted, and survived to grow thicker.

Leave the pits open and the trunks exposed. I suggest that you slope the ground out a bit more, saucer-shaped. Then you can add a few inches of mulch, being careful to not place it against the bark of the trunks.

You will probably start seeing a difference this summer in the appearance of the trees. Greener and larger leaves will be the first thing you see. Next year you should also see longer twig growth. It all depends on how badly the trees were affected.

I’m impressed that you discovered this. It is a common problem, but most people aren’t aware of it or know how to spot it and fix it.