Hello,

I was trying to plant hostas under my Sugar Maple tree but it was hard to remove the top layer of sod/grass and also dig holes for the plants, as the tree is abou 35 years old and has large established roots.

I cut very deep into the soil with a gardening knife and even stood on a spade shovel to cut into the soil all the while hearing the fibrous roots tear. It wasn't until after I made deep slices into the soil did I learn that I was going about it incorrectly and most likely damaged the tree.

Any suggestions on how I can repair or lessen the damage? Should I water and apply fertilizer?