Join Us March 23rd at 12 (PST) for an online lunch-and-learn talk to learn how to grow better plants and plant healthier trees. This month, we will be joined by Riley Rouse, a Research Technician at Michigan State University who will share their work on root defects in container plants. Register now for this webinar and stay tuned for more exciting and educational lunch-and-learn talks in the next few months.

Bio:
Riley is an ISA Certified Arborist with Tree Risk Assessment Qualification and a research technician in the Department of Horticulture at Michigan State University. She earned her B.S. in Natural Resources Management from Grand Valley State University and M.S. in Horticulture from Michigan State. In her current role, she aids in field research and extension efforts related to landscape tree establishment and Christmas tree production.

Presentation description:
Container-grown trees are a popular stock type among arborists and landscapers; however, trees grown in standard plastic nursery containers often develop malformed root systems, namely circling roots, which can inhibit young tree establishment. Over the years, several techniques have been promoted to remediate circling roots such as teasing, slicing, shaving, and bare-rooting. In this program, we will summarize the results of over decade’s worth of trials conducted by our lab on the effects of root modification techniques on tree survival, growth, physiology, and root quality.