Eggs Zachtly wrote:

cover said:

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.

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.

Or not. I planted an ash tree close to the sidewalk (over the former
cesspool -- I figured it would send its roots straight down into the
muck; I was wrong), and when the city people came through fixing
sidewalks maybe 10 years ago they whacked off the roots about a foot
from the sidewalk and put down some kind of root barrier. Damn tree
gets cut back to a 15-foot stump every once in a while but it doesn't
seem to have hurt it.

Check with an arborist. Maples are frequently used for bonsai, so they
can't be too delicate.

--
Cheers, Bev
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++
"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey
and car keys to teenage boys." -- P.J. O'Rourke

The Real Bev said:

Eggs Zachtly wrote:

cover said:

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.

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.

Or not. I planted an ash tree close to the sidewalk (over the former
cesspool -- I figured it would send its roots straight down into the
muck; I was wrong), and when the city people came through fixing
sidewalks maybe 10 years ago they whacked off the roots about a foot
from the sidewalk and put down some kind of root barrier.

As with the OP, that's a poor choice of a tree to put near a hardscape
structure, but then you know that now, eh? I'll bet you research the next
tree you plant, a little better. =)

And, I would *never* let a "city worker" touch a tree on my property. A
good rule of thumb is don't plant things in, or near, a right-of-way or
utility easement. Sooner or later, you're going to lose what you planted.

Damn tree
gets cut back to a 15-foot stump every once in a while but it doesn't
seem to have hurt it.

That's actually about the worst thing you can do to a tree. Don't belive
me? As an arborist.


Check with an arborist. Maples are frequently used for bonsai, so they
can't be too delicate.

They're trained as bonsai from the beginning. They don't mature, and then
have their roots severed. There's a HUGE difference.

--
Eggs

Crime doesn't pay... does that mean my job is a crime?

Our softener used salt and the slurry discharged in the main line
didn't stop the roots. Root Kill package was about $5.00 and would be
used in about 1.5 years. I didn't consider it pricey.

On 13 Aug 2006 06:47:34 -0700, "
wrote:


wrote:
Root Kill for treating roots in sewer drains is a copper compound. I
used that brand name product for several years semi-annually instead
of calling roto rooter.


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

I wondered how something like that might work (a diversionary concept
to draw the roots away from the slab). In the experience of those of
you who have cut these roots, was an axe the best approach?

On 13 Aug 2006 19:33:21 -0700, "Alan" wrote:

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:
Planting a tree is like getting a new puppy. Few of us can visualize what it
will be like at maturity. :-)

"Eggs Zachtly" wrote in message
...
cover said:

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.

On Sun, 13 Aug 2006 12:46:44 -0400, (Webb 413)
wrote:

Copper will definitely kill tree roots...
and they do make copper nails in different sizes, from roofing nails to
very large ones... check with local hardware store that might be able to
order them for you.
....
Also something called ""Copper Sulfate"" crystals will also kill tree
roots..
Hope this helps.... ~ Webb ~


Wonder how it would work to trench the area and pour this stuff
directly into the trench as a barrier. Assume maybe that's what
you're talking about ???

On Sun, 13 Aug 2006 09:17:54 -0400, "Ron P" wrote:

Chris
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.

What does one of these trenchers do when they encounter roots, Ron?
(kick up, cut through ???) thanks

cover wrote:
I wondered how something like that might work (a diversionary concept
to draw the roots away from the slab). In the experience of those of
you who have cut these roots, was an axe the best approach?

Don't try a chainsaw. The blade will last only about 15 seconds until
it is totally dull. That happens even if the dirt is dug out fairly
well. All it takes is a momentary touch to kill the blade.

On Mon, 14 Aug 2006 11:05:34 -0400, Stubby
wrote:

Don't try a chainsaw. The blade will last only about 15 seconds until
it is totally dull. That happens even if the dirt is dug out fairly
well. All it takes is a momentary touch to kill the blade.

Yeah, I was thinking about that one too where my chainsaw is
concerned. Another killer incidentally is railroad ties. :-) I
was thinking about using an axe (though they can be spooky devils to
work with).

cover wrote:
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.


If you have a sawzall, you can buy a pruning blade for about $6. They
are about 12-15" long and will go through dirt and roots like butter. I
used one to cut the roots off a stump so I could pull it up and it was
the easiest stump I have ever removed.

--
Art

cover wrote:

What does one of these trenchers do when they encounter roots, Ron?
(kick up, cut through ???) thanks

You'll see some wood chips in the dirt it spits out. Other than that you
don't even notice there's a root there.

--
Art

Guess it depends on size of root, and how sharp your trencher is. I cut
through allot of roots, except for some big ones. Some knotted up roots it
will not get through.
I used the walk behind. Maybe the one you sit on has less of a problem.

--
remove one of the @'s unless you are a spammer.
"cover" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 13 Aug 2006 09:17:54 -0400, "Ron P" wrote:

Chris
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.

What does one of these trenchers do when they encounter roots, Ron?
(kick up, cut through ???) thanks