In Spring 2007 I planted eight bare-root saplings in our
lawn. Followed advice and created a metre diameter bare
area around each. But several times the trees have
appeared sickly.

We have quite a thin soil over compact clay subsoil and
therefore the roots tend the spread through the top few
inches of soil only. I suspect that I am cutting through
the new roots when I periodically recut the edges of the
bare circle around each tree .

Has anyone found a way of maintaining the bare soil around
trees without cutting their spreading roots?

Davy