TY - JOUR T1 - Vertical Mulching of Trees: Effects on Roots and Water Status JF - Arboriculture & Urban Forestry (AUF) JO - JOA SP - 141 LP - 145 DO - 10.48044/jauf.1994.026 VL - 20 IS - 3 AU - P.J. Kalisz AU - J.W. Stringer AU - R.J. Wells Y1 - 1994/05/01 UR - http://auf.isa-arbor.com/content/20/3/141.abstract N2 - We examined the effect of vertical mulching on root growth and xylem water potential of large sugar maples (Acersaccharum) growing in pastures. Root mass in the 35-40 cm depth of undisturbed soil was about 50% that in the 5-10 cm depth, and root mass at the edge of the canopy (7.5 m from the trunk) was about 40% that found at 1/4 the distance to the edge of the canopy. After three growing seasons, the abundance of roots in perlite-filled vertical mulch channels (0.6 kg/m3) was significantly (P<0.0001) less than in undisturbed soil 1-2 m away from mulch channels (4.4 kg/m3) and in undisturbed soil immediately surrounding mulch channels (3.5 kg/m3). Predawn and midday xylem water potentials, measured in late summer and used as indices of tree health, did not differ between mulched and non-mulched trees. Our results indicated that perlite-filled vertical mulch channels did not affect tree health, and, rather than being utilized as preferred pathways of growth, were avoided by tree roots. ER -