JNJ wrote:
....
: So it's a multi-problem solution.

Clearly! However, as someone else already pointed out, you're not going
to solve a drainage problem with trees. The key issue here isn't deep
roots, though, so in a way you are actually trying to solve the wrong
problem. What you can hope to do is find trees the will tolerate and
possibly even thrive in a periodically very wet conditions. Most trees
that tolerate wet conditions are known to be 'greedy' and have very dense
surface roots, generally not taproots.

The old picture of the tree's root system as a mirror image of what's
above ground isn't accurate. Most of a tree's feeder roots are within the
top foot or two soil where they can get the oxygen they need to be able to
aborb water. Without oxygen, as in soil saturated with water, many trees
(and plants in general) will literally die of thirst in the midst of
plenty.

An excellent list with the promising title "Qualifiers for Quagmires:
Landscape Plants for Wet Sites" is available from the North Carolina State
University: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-646.html
Since NC is a zone south of you, so you'll need to check the plants on
their list for hardiness in your area.

An excellent general search engine for factsheets on all things
horticultural is OSU's Plants facts: http://plantfacts.osu.edu/web/

Be sure to have your utilities come out and mark the location of existing
utility or sewer(!!) lines before you plant. Many of the trees on this
list will begin to interfere with old clay tile-based storm sewers in
pretty short order, so unless you are good pals with the Roto-Rooter guy,
you'll need to keep this in mind, as well.

Good luck!

-- Karen

The Garden Gate http://garden-gate.prairienet.org
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