With the surface roots you describe, it sounds like they could be maple
trees.
#1: Don't cut or otherwise injure the roots.
#2: If the roots look more like the bark on the tree and aren't creamy
white in-ground roots, do not cover them with sod or soil. They need to be
exposed or they will rot and eventually kill the tree. It may take 20 or
more years, but it will rot the roots and kill the tree.
#3: Do not plant under the tree, as you will most likely have to add soil
to do so.
#4: Your best bet is to remove the existing soil/grass over the roots so
they can "breathe", and replace with 2" of bark mulch of your choice. Just
be sure to keep the mulch 2-3" away from the trunk of the tree. This is the
easiest solution in terms of cutting the lawn without whacking the roots,
and far better for the tree in the long run. The University of Wisconsin
has an InfoSource message on surface roots at:
http://infosource.uwex.edu/recorddet...pe&headingid=2

Hope this helps!
Suzy in Wisconsin



"Leon Trollski" wrote in message
news89Yd.637133$Xk.277234@pd7tw3no...

"Suzanne D." wrote in message
...
We have several large shade trees in our yard. Around the trees,
numerous
small thin roots are exposed. They are from pencil-thickness to a couple
of
inches, and they tend to come up, lay flat over the ground (or slightly
elevated from the ground) for 5-10 inches, then go back down. This makes
it
very difficult to mow the lawn (grass is growing between the roots).

Can someone tell me the feasibility of any of these ideas:

1. Removing the exposed roots. If so, how?
2. Re-sodding. Would this be terribly expensive? Would I have to do it
to
the whole lawn, or just the rooty areas?
3. Giving up that part of the lawn and planting big circles of
wildflowers
around the trees.
4. Anything I am missing?

Thanks in advance.
--S.



Drill some holes and fill them with Roundup from your local hardware.

Then douse the rest of your lawn and garden.