A total of 250 trees have been saved by applying enriched biochar to the roots by Geo-Injector since 2017.
Apex Soil Solutions, the Ringwood-based tree health business, has successfully treated 250 trees using its deep-soil Geo-Injector to improve root growth and improved compacted soil. The companies started collaborating in 2017 by using a Tree Soil Improver and Tree Fertiliser to significantly improve compacted soils.
Biochar is a porous, high-carbon form of charcoal that improves the structure, aeration, water-holding capacity and nutrient retention of soils of all types, and provides the perfect refuge for beneficial microbiology. The Tree Soil Improver is enriched with mycorrhizal and Trichoderma fungi, seaweed and wormcasts and trees treated with it have been shown to be resistant to pests and diseases including ash dieback, honey fungus, acute oak decline and horse chestnut leaf miner in third-party controlled trials.
The 250 treated trees, which were suffering from problems ranging from leaf miner to blight, have all returned to full health.
Martin Saxon, CEO at Apex Soil Solutions, says, “As a tree surgeon, it seems crazy how little we’re actually taking trees down these days. We’re taking the arb world by storm with their enriched biochar and our unique application method, the Geo-Injector. We’ve treated 250 trees, each backed by a money-back guarantee, and every single one of them is standing strong today.
“We knew going in the science was strong thanks to all the research into their products. Combined with the perfect application method, it’s a game changer.”
So what is Geo Injecting? The Apex deep-soil Geo-Injector is a high-tech decompaction tool that drills up to 1.2 metres into the soil around the base of a tree, blasts pockets in the soil around a tree’s roots using pressurised air, and backfills the cavity with enriched biochar.
James MacPhail, Commercial Director at PositiveBiocarbon, says, “This is a great milestone for Apex, we’re really impressed with their results. The Geo-Injector is an excellent non-invasive way to apply enriched biochar to the roots of trees without disturbing top-soil or exposing roots, white improving soil structure and improving compacted soils. It has paid dividends in terms of the number of trees we’ve managed to save together through soil de-compaction and adding enriched biochar.
“We think this technology, combined with enriched biochar, is the next big step in professional arboriculture.”
