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| Plant girdling and circling roots
Common Cultural Problems
Air pollution
Chlorosis
Construction damage
Desiccating wind
Drought damage
Fasciation
Fertilizer burn
Frost injury
Hail damage
Lime-induced chlorosis
Marginal leaf necrosis
Morphological changes
Mosses and lichens
Needle loss
Needle tip necrosis
Nutrient deficiency
Oedema
Overwatering or poor drainage
Plant girdling and circling roots
Poor pollination
Salt damage
Sunscald
Transplant shock
Winter desiccation
Winter injury
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Caption: Girdling on London plane tree caused by staking wire
Photo by: R. Maleike
Common Cultural : Plant girdling and circling roots
(revision date: 4/30/2013)
Use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for successful plant problem management.
Biology
Girdling interrupts the flow of manufactured food, hormones, and other metabolites from the leaves to the roots. The roots may eventually starve, and then the top branches decline. Eventually, the entire tree may die. Trunk girdling may be caused by staking wires, strings, gnawing of vertebrates, and other agents. Roots can become girdled if a plant is grown in a pot for too long, thereby forcing roots to grow in a circular pattern around the root ball. As the trunk grows and circling roots increase in diameter, they may choke the plant at the crown. Polypropylene "burlap" wraps can also lead to root girdling, as the roots grow close together within the wrap and eventually constrict each other's growth and nutrient flow.
Management Options
Non-Chemical Management
Avoid staking trees. When necessary, attach trees to stakes with loose bands and remove within the first year.
Remove burlap and string or wire prior to planting.
Select non-chemical management options as your first choice!
Chemical Management
IMPORTANT:
Visit Home and Garden Fact Sheets for more information on using pesticides
None recommended
Images
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Caption: Girdling on London plane tree caused by staking wire
Photo by: R. Maleike
Caption: Complete dieback caused by girdling at the crown
Photo by: R.S. Byther
Caption: Circling roots from plant growing too long in pot
Photo by: B.M. Johnson
Caption: Circling and girdling roots
Photo by: B.M. Johnson
Caption: Root girdling caused by polypropylene "burlap" wrap
Photo by: B.M. Johnson