Saving Time and Root Systems Air excavators come to the rescue to loosen compact soil and safeguard the health of trees By Jenny Cohen
There are times when the typical tools used to work around trees and dig up dirt just won’t cut it. In these cases, an air excavator can be just what you need when you’re working with compacted soil, a complex root system, or need to get extra nutrients into the ground without damaging delicate systems.
Excavation tools aren’t just used by arborists. Utility companies started using them in the 1980s to excavate buried objects such as utility lines and cables without damaging them. The military also used them to uncover landmines and unexploded ordinanc- es, according to Pat Landers, market
development manager for AirSpade , a manufacturer of air-powered soil exca- vation tools. “Applications within the arboricultural and landscaping fields began to emerge as tree service companies recognized the advantages of this non-impact, non-destructive methodology for tree care-related excavation,” says Landers. Today, tree care companies regularly employ air excavators to save time and tend to the needs of trees. While these relatively low-maintenance tools are mainly used to loosen soil, they can also be used to solve other plant health care issues. MINIMAL INVASION Arborilogical , a tree service care com- pany based in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, area, regularly uses air excava- tors in its work. “We started using an air excavator shortly aer the tool was introduced to remove soil from roots and root col- lars with minimal impact,” explains
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AirSpade’s 2000 ArborSeries features a supersonic nozzle to uncover sensitive tree root systems without harm.
46 | ArborTIMES Summer 2024
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