Quote:
Originally Posted by john royce
Sixteen years ago I moved into this house and the small front garden was
covered over in red tiles. On learning that there was substantial hardcore
under the tiles I decided not to dig them up, so I heaped about 18 to 20
inches of soil *on top* of the tiles.
I then planted this pine tree in the photo, (see tinypic link) believing
that the roots would merely travel along *on top* of the tiles.
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=651wgg&s=5
Recently a tree man knocked at the door and said he thought that almost
certainly the roots have found there way downwards through the tiles. If
this is the case I'm worried about the house foundations since the tree is
so very near the front wall.
Would anyone kindly explain to a complete novice what would be the basic
steps I should now take in dealing with this tree which might be a serious
threat to the house. Thanks. |
As another poster says, what you have is a deodar cedar
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deodar_cedar.
The largest subsidence risk results from the combination of
(1) deciduous trees
(2) clay soils
See for example
http://www.bureauinsure.co.uk/what_are_trees.htm
So having a conifer you are already not in the worst position, but I don't know what your local soil type is. Assuredly your tree will not find 18" of soil enough and as a mountain species it will be accustomed to rooting down among rocks.
But as the previous poster said, deodars (very similar to cedar of lebanon) can grow to be very large trees indeed. I've seen them with trunks over 6ft in diameter in England. They obtain such a size much quicker than oaks, etc, massive examples are less than 100 yrs old. They are not just tall, but also gain a very broad spread. Though yours is clearly in a less than ideal site and won't grow so well as the huge examples I know. It is evident from the lack of branches on the house side of the tree that it is suffering form the proximity to the house. In general they rae not a suitable tree close to buildings and in small gardens.
So all in all, it is a tree in the wrong place. A good idea to take it down now while it is a manageable size and put in something more suitable. There are genuinely small varieties of conifers, especially certain juniper cultivars, which would be more suitable if you want a small tree close to your house. If you really like cedars, there is a weeping form of blue cedar, cedrus atlantica pendula, which stays small.