Can I bury established fruit tree trunks w/ 2 1/2' soil?

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chicoryblue Springdale, WA(Zone 5b) Apr 29, 2015

My fruit trees have been in place for a range of years, from maybe six to two. My physical disabilities have gotten drastically worse during that time period, and especially in the last year or so. The trees were all placed in 8" and 12" high, 4'x4 or better raised beds at the time of planting. Neither my husband or I can maintain these beds any longer, because we can't get up and down. His idea is to build raised beds about three feet high around the trees, fill them with soil, and then put ground cover plants in the beds. This would be a height we could both manage to weed at. He feels the trees would survive based on his past experience years ago in road-building. He says that it was not unusual for the crew to be forced to push three or four feet or more of soil up all around established trees when widening a road. He says that even years later he would go past those trees and they would still be standing and growing. I am afraid that what a 30' pine tree can survive, an eight foot tall apple or plum tree could not. Help? He is eager to get started, but I have asked him to hold off a bit while I get some input. Thanks!!!

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Sequoiadendron4 Lititz, PA(Zone 6b) Apr 29, 2015

It is never a good idea to plant a tree deeper than the top of the root ball. By the same token, it is also never a good idea to bury a tree trunk under 3' of soil. I understand what you are trying to do but it will likely result in the eventual death of the trees. A 50-60' tree with a trunk diameter of 3' can withstand adverse conditions such as you've described. It may still shorten the life of the tree but when you're talking a100 year life as opposed to 200 years, who's going to know?..LOL

My suggestion would be to have someone dig out all trees, or at least the younger ones and replant them in a raised bed as you've described. The only danger in that is the roots will eventually become bound in that raised bed, diminishing the eventual longevity of the tree. It also makes the tree more susceptible to cold and freeze/thaw than if it were planted directly in the ground.

Why not just plant the ground cover you spoke of and be done with it?

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kittriana Magnolia, TX(Zone 9a) May 02, 2015

Advice is no more than 1' a year for soil addition to trees, shame they werent espaliered early.

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