Tree Rings

This year you will notice that we have cleared away sod below the trees on 6 mountain and 1 canyon. Aside from cutting down on irrigated turf, we are doing this for the health of the tree.  We previously had small strips of grass between and around the trees that was getting watered with sprinklers.  The sprinklers blasted the trees and the water applied close to the tree didn't encourage deep root growth.

Many years ago we had a coast live oak tree fall over in a wind storm and its root mass was maybe 3 feet in diameter. Coast live oaks are very strong trees and should be able to handle a California wind storm.   The problem was the irrigation around it.

As for now, we have chosen not to put mulch down below the tree.  Golfer feedback says that the player doesn't like to guess as to how much mulch is or isn't below his ball.