Soil Mounded Around Fir Trunk: Immediate Removal Required

Adding **12 inches of soil** around a 30-ft fir’s base **will kill it** over time. Buried root flare + compacted soil = **oxygen deprivation, root suffocation, stem rot**.

Symptoms (Appear Over 1–3 Years)

• Branch dieback (top-down).
• Thinning, chlorotic foliage.
• Basal cankers, fungal fruiting bodies.
• Eventual mortality.

Corrective Action: Expose the Root Flare NOW

1. **Remove all added soil** down to the **natural root flare** (where trunk widens into first major roots).
2. **Grade away** from trunk to prevent water pooling.
3. **Mulch 2–3 inches** (not on trunk) to protect exposed roots.
4. **Monitor** for recovery (new growth, no further dieback).

**Do not delay.** The longer the burial, the more irreversible root death occurs.