Restoring Roots with Air

Why Urban Trees Struggle

In most developed landscapes, the soil itself can become a source of stress for trees. The ways we maintain our yards — mowing, raking, and years of people and equipment moving over the same ground — compact and deplete the soil that trees depend on. Add sidewalks and driveways that replace living soil, and the tree is left with less and less healthy ground to grow in.

What Air Excavation Is

Air excavation (often called airspading) uses compressed air to loosen the soil without harming roots. The air breaks up compacted layers gently, restoring structure and improving conditions around the roots without heavy digging or machinery.

Why It Matters

Healthy soil needs pore space — gaps that let oxygen and water move freely. By reopening those spaces, air excavation restores soil structure, encourages new root growth, and helps water soak in instead of running off. Trees often respond with stronger growth and improved resilience to stress.

A Broader Kind of Care

This process isn’t just about one treatment — it’s part of rebuilding the underground ecosystem. Once the soil breathes again, I can incorporate compost, biochar, or nutrients to re-establish a living, balanced root environment.

Girdling roots often form when trees are planted too deeply, mulched too high, or growing in compacted soil. Air excavation can safely expose the root flare and correct these issues without damaging the tree.

Healthy soil takes time and attention.
If you’re curious whether similar work could help your own trees, you can reach me through my contact page to talk about next steps.