Morning, I have an eastern hemlock, ~15" dbh, on the lakeshore of upstate NY, Lake Champlain. Presents with ~25% crown loss over 2 years to include whole branch defoliation and general thinning. The apex looks healthy for about 5' and there are seemingly healthy looking branches throughout. I have not done foliar or soil sampling to date but I have clinically ruled out: arsenic toxicity, cankers (Leucocytospora and Cytospora - above ground), heat injury, herbicide injury, ice glaze injury, rust, snow blight, winter browning. The trunk is girdled by ~3-6" of back fill but I have not excavated to date. Does this sound like a girdling problem? If I dig will I find clinical signs for a diagnosis? How do you excavate? Big question - can anything be done if it is showing decline from a girdling problem?

Reply to post by Dan, on July 13, 2002 at 08:17:58:

How do you know trunk is covered by 3-6" of fill if you haven't excavated? Root collar examination is the first diagnostic step. Finding and treating defects there can save you time and the customer money ruling out all those other possibilities.

Soil doesn't girdle; roots do. If you see girdling roots, ones that are squeezing the trunk, cut them WITHOUT injuring the trunk.

If you are still uncertain, hire someone more experienced, or post pictures here.

Reply to post by Dan, on July 13, 2002 at 08:17:58:

Dan, you sound knowledgeable about trees, and the list of exclusions is long- so I will assume you have checked for hemlock woolly adelges, and that is not the problem.

More about the soil fill, please. What type of soil? Where is the fill? What area does it cover? When was it placed there? how was it placed?

Three inches of fill soil can be enough to cause serious problems for a tree, especially those like hemlock which are rather sensitive to root disturbances.