Tree Root Problem

We have a large plum tree in our front garden, from which emerges countless suckers all around our front yard. We are constantly digging them up where we can and snipping them off where we can't. Is there anything we can do to minimize this irritating problem short of taking out the tree? Thanks.

Reply to
tenplay
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I have the same problem with live oaks. Some, not all. Our pop ups are generally close to the main trunk - within 10-12' or so. We solve it by planting some sort of thick, tall ground cover. Boston fern in our case, solved it nicely. Apparently, the oak suckers need light/air to pop up. No idea if it would work on plums. Suckers where there are no ferns get mowed as do the ferns as they expand.

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dadiOH

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nospambob

I've got tree roots from a maple tree growing dangerously close to a concrete slab and was hoping someone might have an effective way of dealing with an issue like this short of swinging the axe. Chainsaws and grinders in my experience haven't been too effective. The link below shows the problem and thanks very much for any ideas.

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Chris

Reply to
cover

Go to a local metal shop and order some plate aluminum or stainless steel. Make it 12" "deep" by around 3-4' long and manually insert them right up against the concrete and even with the top of the dirt. Roots can't get past solid metal.

Not really frugal cost-wise if you're not a long term resident, but just about permanent.

I have one of these at my home now if you want me to shoot a photo...

Joe in Northern, NJ - V#8013-R

Currently Riding The "Mother Ship"

Ride a motorcycle in or near NJ?

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Reply to
Joe

Joe skrev:

You don't need metal plates. Fabric root barrier is used now to prevent roots from growing under sidewalks but the problem I see is installing either.

Here's one:

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Reply to
BradMM

Years ago I heard that plants can't stand copper. If that's true, maybe some copper tubes strategically placed will turn the roots away from the slab. Does anyone know if this really works?

Paul

Reply to
Pavel314

Reply to
Alan

I seem to be having a problem posting so if this is posted with my other post sorry but I don think the first one went through. You know chris this is probably the number 1 reason we are called out for diveway bids and the fact of the matter is that the fix is very simply and only needs to be done once a year. Go purchase what is called a straight edge spade, or long spade picture if you will a flat shovel that is about 7-8" wide by maybe 13-15" long with a short handle. Simply run this along the edge of the slab atleast halfway down more if you can and this cuts off any feeler roots that are heading twards trouble..once a year is all you need to do it .....If you already have larger roots you really have no choice but to dig next to the slab and but them off after doing this do what I have explained above. We have replaced dozens and dozens of driveways that have been raised up by roots and we allways cut the roots from 6-12" back from the slab and instruct the customer as I have above...havent had a call back yet if you have any doubts talk to a arborist about root growth patterns and he will tell you this is an effective controll..

cover wrote:

Reply to
Italian

cover wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

dangerously close? Those look like fairly mature roots, many, right at the edge. The part of each of those roots that thins to needle size is well under the slab already is my guess.

Reply to
Al Bundy

"Pavel314" wrote in news:1pWdnQP_38Mj_kPZnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

Well, alge is a plant right? Here's one case where you kill a plant with copper. The dark/black alge that grows on roof shingles in more humid areas.

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Al Bundy

Reply to
nospambob

Have you considered using a trench digger for burying cables? A trench digger can make a trench about 3 inches wide and 12 to 18 inches deep quite easily. Put whatever barrier you want in there and back fill.

Reply to
Ron P

Rock salt down the sewer is just as effective at a fraction of the price, works great as long as your underground piping isnt steel, which very few are.

Most bad lines are terracotta pipe, the trees love all those joints:(

Reply to
hallerb

Here we have the classic example of a common problem with certain trees that have surface roots. The roots take up moisture and nutrients that prevent grass or other plants from growing. And they are more likely to cause problems with sidewalks than other trees that have deeper roots. Norway maples are well known for this problem.

It's also unclear how far from the tree trunk the slab is. Obviously, the farther away, the better the chance of being able to trench and install a steel barrier without killing the tree. If you're willing to do that and don't need anything to grow around the tree, it should work. If not, the other solution is removing the tree and replacing it with one that doesn't have surface root problems and is located farther away.

Reply to
trader4

Many thanks to all of you for your replies. Appreciate that very much. The tree is a fairly healthy size maple tree and the trunk is approximately 15' from the slab. A trencher just might be the easiest approach. Any thoughts on using an axe versus some sort of root saw if a person doesn't want to bring great harm to the tree. It's fairly mature and I hate to damage it too significantly but at the same time, have property to protect.

Chris

Reply to
cover

It was a poor choice of a tree to plant so close to a sidewalk (or a poor choice for a sidewalk location, as it wasn't specified which came first). In either case, maple roots grow quite horizontally. Severing the roots, will most likely damage the tree beyond recoverability, or will certainly disfigure it, probably in a short time.

Reply to
Eggs Zachtly

Reply to
John Lawrence
15' from the slab? That's not too close. Ask an arborist to be sure, but a clean cut along one side of the tree may be OK. At that distance from the trunk, regardless of tree, one foot or so down into the soil won't cut the life of an otherwise healthy tree. Our Magnolia, a tree that doens't mind having it's roots pruned, is closer to the slab than that and we cut plenty of roots any which way we could before trenching in the patio edge. Then we put a used brick patio right up to the trunk on one side. The tree seems to be doing pretty well this summer of incredible heat. In our case, we replaced the slab patio altogether. Outside the foundation barrier footer and patio edge, I cut the roots back and down a couple of feet and gently slope toward the trunk, trying to avoid major roots as I got closer to the tree. I then filled in a few yards of pea gravel and a drain pipe system to draw the patio water away to a deep dry well well away from the patio. I layered soil fabric over the pea grave, some road base, tamped into the slope I wanted, and then puzzled in the used brick that I had accumulated over the previous two years (It's amazing what amounts of brick is tossed by the roadside in places). I broomed sand into the cracks between bricks that weren't spaced. Some people recommended mixing the sand with some portland cement, but I didn't want the grey look this gives to the brick. If the base is solid, cement isn't necessary. Along the lawn edge, I put in flush some old 8x8 redwood railroad ties, but treated ties are easier to find in most places. This winter the patio drained well enough, the tree seems pretty happy, the excellent underground drainage of the pea gravel should discourage larger tree roots from forming there for awhile.

John Lawrence wrote:

Reply to
Alan

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