Hi all

As the subject, we have a copper beech tree in the N-E corner of our back
garden.
Its location means that it hardly affects sunlight, the plot seeing about 6
hours of afternoon sun in summer.
Obviously, the tree will pull moisture and nutrients from the soil, but if I
replenish these, should veg grow OK in close proximity.

We are intending to reduce the height and spread from 30-40 feet down to
about 20' in the near future.
Also intend to remove lower branches to open the area.

Will raised beds help - the type with timber plank surround maybe 18" deep?
I am thinking these might avoid root infested soil and provide a fresh start
in terms of soil, nutrients and the like.


TIA

Phil

TheScullster wrote:
Hi all

As the subject, we have a copper beech tree in the N-E corner of our back
garden.
Its location means that it hardly affects sunlight, the plot seeing about 6
hours of afternoon sun in summer.
Obviously, the tree will pull moisture and nutrients from the soil, but if I
replenish these, should veg grow OK in close proximity.

We are intending to reduce the height and spread from 30-40 feet down to
about 20' in the near future.
Also intend to remove lower branches to open the area.

Will raised beds help - the type with timber plank surround maybe 18" deep?
I am thinking these might avoid root infested soil and provide a fresh start
in terms of soil, nutrients and the like.


TIA

Phil


Can a tree and a vegetable plot have a symbiotic relationship?
In terms of the tree, the veg plot will absorb moisture and nutrients
before they have filtered down to the trees roots and may cause problems
with the tree. Raised beds will stop any work on the veg patch
disturbing the high level fibrous roots of the tree that are intended to
catch moisture but will further preclude the moisture reaching the tree.
Crowning out the tree will increase vigour and it will want more
nutrients and water.

On 16 May, 14:22, Simon Harding wrote:
Can a tree and a vegetable plot have a symbiotic relationship?
In terms of the tree, the veg plot will absorb moisture and nutrients
before they have filtered down to the trees roots and may cause problems
with the tree. Raised beds will stop any work on the veg patch
disturbing the high level fibrous roots of the tree that are intended to
catch moisture but will further preclude the moisture reaching the tree.
Crowning out the tree will increase vigour and it will want more
nutrients and water.

I thought about doing this last year at my cousin's house and I came
up with the same answer as you. The tree seek water and the roots will
keep going till they find it. Either the tree will increase in vigour
(in my case there's 3 trees) or it will die. On site, our landscapers
always barricade around the trees twice the hight of the tree to make
sure nothing is either dumped or placed around the trees for long. 90%
of tree roots are in the top 600mm of soil. Roots extend horizontally
as far as the tree is tall (and not down as most people think).

I have since given up trying to find a solution for my cousin's veg
beds under the trees. She'll just have to walk further down her garden
to harvest her vegs.

"Simon Harding" wrote

Crowning out the tree will increase vigour and it will want more nutrients
and water.

Simon

Not sure what "Crowning Out" means!
I am looking at reducing the tree to about half its current size!

Also I notice that this year, where roots are arching slightly above ground
level, new growth has sprouted upto about 2' high. What does this signify?
Is the tree now max'd out for height and trying to grow more lower down?

TIA

Phil

In message , Simon Harding
writes
TheScullster wrote:
Hi all
As the subject, we have a copper beech tree in the N-E corner of our
back garden.
Its location means that it hardly affects sunlight, the plot seeing
about 6 hours of afternoon sun in summer.
Obviously, the tree will pull moisture and nutrients from the soil,
but if I replenish these, should veg grow OK in close proximity.
We are intending to reduce the height and spread from 30-40 feet
down to about 20' in the near future.
Also intend to remove lower branches to open the area.
Will raised beds help - the type with timber plank surround maybe
18" deep?
I am thinking these might avoid root infested soil and provide a
fresh start in terms of soil, nutrients and the like.
TIA
Phil
Can a tree and a vegetable plot have a symbiotic relationship?

Yep, I reckon.

In terms of the tree, the veg plot will absorb moisture and nutrients
before they have filtered down to the trees roots and may cause
problems with the tree.

I very much doubt it, established Trees don't seem overly affected by
the grass, brambles etc. that will be growing around them left to
natures devices

In our garden in Leeds we had a well established Oak tree on the
boundary of the garden, we had a shed underneath part of it and veg beds
up to about 8 feet of the tree. Neither the veg nor the tree seemed to
suffer from this.

--
Chris French

Two things to avoid if you don't want to risk the tree...

1) Digging under the tree. The roots can be surprisingly shallow.
2) Raising the soil level so the roots are made deeper. .

We have a similar issue with trees adjacent the veg plot.

There is a row of mature silver birch trees next to (North of) the veg plot.
I've hit shallow tree roots while rotovating the plot within 15 or so feet
of the trees.
Most of these roots (up to 1" diameter) I removed last year and the trees
don't seem to be suffering.
I discovered that vegetables growing within around 10 feet of the trees did
badly, the ground was too dry for them without excessive watering, so there
must be more tree roots running below them deeper than rotovator depth
sucking the soil dry.
Veg 15 feet or more away are unaffected by the trees.
In conclusion - I'm going to grass over the ten feet or so between the trees
and the veg plot. Can also use the area for compost bins, garden shed etc.


--
David
.... Email address on website http://www.avisoft.co.uk

"David (Normandy)" wrote in message
...
We have a similar issue with trees adjacent the veg plot.

There is a row of mature silver birch trees next to (North of) the veg
plot.
I've hit shallow tree roots while rotovating the plot within 15 or so feet
of the trees.
Most of these roots (up to 1" diameter) I removed last year and the trees
don't seem to be suffering.

How big is the tree? The usual rule is not to dig under the crown.

If you want to lay cables or a water main in my area the tree preservation
officer insists you write a method statement that says you will hand dig the
trench (or using a "mole") and not cut any roots bigger than 1" in diameter.

"CWatters" wrote in message
How big is the tree? The usual rule is not to dig under the crown.

If you want to lay cables or a water main in my area the tree preservation
officer insists you write a method statement that says you will hand dig
the
trench (or using a "mole") and not cut any roots bigger than 1" in
diameter.



Sorry, I forgot to add that I didn't dig under the crowns of the trees. I
rotovated up to around 5 feet away from the trunks of the trees. However,
the veg planted between 5 and 10 feet from the tree did badly (ground too
dry), so it turned out to not be worth cultivating that area anyway.

David.