Our New Root Pruner

Here is a video documenting one of our most exciting equipment purchases for 2013….an Imants Root Pruner.  This machine is tough. Slicing through four inch roots with ease.  We are using it to help maintain a balance between tree health and turfgrass health.  Over time, tree roots are spreading laterally in the top layer of soil.  They grow in length as well as diameter.  The bigger they get, the more water they require.  By severing these roots, we are keeping the tree from stealing too much moisture from the grass.  Don’t worry about the trees.  This affects less than 10% of a tree’s root system.  The rotating blades only cut through roots less than 12 inches deep which is where most of the grass root system exists.

Not only does this improve the health of our turf, it also saves us money.  Our old method of managing invasive tree roots required the entire crew.  Each year, only a few holes could be done.  Now with the new root pruner,  two people managed to finish the entire front nine in only two days.