I'm having a major problem with tree roots cracking my tarmac drive.

I'm not sure exactly where the roots are coming from, I have a beech hedge
alongside the driveway, about 8 yeras old and only 4 ft high. Immediately
behind that is a Leylandii hedge that my neighbour planted about 10 years
ago which he keeps trimmed about 8 ft high - I'm much more suspicious of the
leylandii.

I don't want really want to cut down my own beech hedge - I planted it in
front of the leylandii because I detest leylandii hedging - and I don't want
to ask my neighbour to kill off his hedge when I'm not certain that is
casuing the problem.

What I was thinking of doing was to drill some holes in the tarmac where the
cracks are and try to kill off the roots at that point, keeping my fingers
crossed that the hedge will survive with the roots going in the opposite
direction.

Is this likely to work and can anyone recommend a suitable chemical to
apply?

On Fri, 1 Jun 2007 13:08:51 +0100, "Martin Harran"
wrote and included this (or some of this):

I'm having a major problem with tree roots cracking my tarmac drive.

I'm not sure exactly where the roots are coming from, I have a beech hedge
alongside the driveway, about 8 yeras old and only 4 ft high. Immediately
behind that is a Leylandii hedge that my neighbour planted about 10 years
ago which he keeps trimmed about 8 ft high - I'm much more suspicious of the
leylandii.

I don't want really want to cut down my own beech hedge - I planted it in
front of the leylandii because I detest leylandii hedging - and I don't want
to ask my neighbour to kill off his hedge when I'm not certain that is
casuing the problem.

I've some really big Leylandii in my front garden, planted within 3'
of my neighbour's tarmac drive. For various reasons we are both
happy with the height of the 'hedge' which is topped at about 9' but
is really wide. It has never touched or damaged his tarmac.

On the other hand there used to be one of these bloody stag horn
sumac thingies. That ruined my lawn for at least 14' and was
constantly erupting up through his tarmac. Took ages to get rid of
the thing.

I've also copper beech growing tall quite near my neighbour's border.
They do not show invasive tendencies at all.


--
®óñ© © ²°¹°-°³

"Martin Harran" wrote in message
...
I'm having a major problem with tree roots cracking my tarmac drive.

I'm not sure exactly where the roots are coming from, I have a beech hedge
alongside the driveway, about 8 yeras old and only 4 ft high. Immediately
behind that is a Leylandii hedge that my neighbour planted about 10 years
ago which he keeps trimmed about 8 ft high - I'm much more suspicious of
the leylandii.

I don't want really want to cut down my own beech hedge - I planted it in
front of the leylandii because I detest leylandii hedging - and I don't
want to ask my neighbour to kill off his hedge when I'm not certain that
is casuing the problem.

What I was thinking of doing was to drill some holes in the tarmac where
the cracks are and try to kill off the roots at that point, keeping my
fingers crossed that the hedge will survive with the roots going in the
opposite direction.

Is this likely to work and can anyone recommend a suitable chemical to
apply?



Do you live in an Avenue with trees on the pavement outside your property
and could the roots come from these?
Is there room for you to dig an investigatory trench the width of a border
spade along the edge of the tarmac to see where the roots are coming from?
Are they coming from 'North', 'South' 'East' or 'West' so to speak or just
one direction? "CAN" they be coming from anywhere or is the house/garage in
the way in certain directions?

If you do go down the line of digging a small hole in the tarmac, cut part
of the root out completely, say an inch or two, and see which way the sap
oozes, you will then see there the offending tree/s is/are. (Won't tell you
if it is your hedge or the neighbour's behind it though)

Mike


--
The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
'THE' Association if you served in the Electrical Branch of the Royal Navy
Reunion Bournemouth August/September 2007
www.rneba.org.uk

'Mike' wrote:
"Martin Harran" wrote in message
...
I'm having a major problem with tree roots cracking my tarmac drive.

I'm not sure exactly where the roots are coming from, I have a beech hedge
alongside the driveway, about 8 yeras old and only 4 ft high. Immediately
behind that is a Leylandii hedge that my neighbour planted about 10 years
ago which he keeps trimmed about 8 ft high - I'm much more suspicious of
the leylandii.

I don't want really want to cut down my own beech hedge - I planted it in
front of the leylandii because I detest leylandii hedging - and I don't
want to ask my neighbour to kill off his hedge when I'm not certain that
is casuing the problem.

What I was thinking of doing was to drill some holes in the tarmac where
the cracks are and try to kill off the roots at that point, keeping my
fingers crossed that the hedge will survive with the roots going in the
opposite direction.

Is this likely to work and can anyone recommend a suitable chemical to
apply?



Do you live in an Avenue with trees on the pavement outside your property
and could the roots come from these?
Is there room for you to dig an investigatory trench the width of a border
spade along the edge of the tarmac to see where the roots are coming from?
Are they coming from 'North', 'South' 'East' or 'West' so to speak or just
one direction? "CAN" they be coming from anywhere or is the house/garage in
the way in certain directions?

If you do go down the line of digging a small hole in the tarmac, cut part
of the root out completely, say an inch or two, and see which way the sap
oozes, you will then see there the offending tree/s is/are. (Won't tell you
if it is your hedge or the neighbour's behind it though)

Mike


To kill the roots, and also possibly the tree:
Drill with as large a bit as possible 2/3rds of the way through the
roots, now fill the hole with undiluted weed killer, plug the hole with
putty or some such. This is best in Spring, when the sap is rising, so
should be fine now.

g'day nmartin,

be best if you could identify where the roots are coming from, i don't
know much of the 2 types of hedge plants you mention, but it could one
or both of them, if those plants are capable of having invasive root
systems?

just because they are kept trimmed into a hedge won't stop the roots
from fully developing, so maybe you could start by researching the
invasiveness or otherwise of those 2 plants?

other than that you could put a root barrier in not going to be cheap
and of course not a 100% fix but it si probably going to be your only
way unless you remove the offending plant(s).

of course if you sue some tree poison onto the roots as you suggest
you may very well find the problem plant as it will most likely die
from that action.

another offender is ficus trees even if they are something like 30
meters away. would also be thinking these roots could be doing damage
to you house foundations?


On Fri, 1 Jun 2007 13:08:51 +0100, "Martin Harran"
wrote:

snipped
With peace and brightest of blessings,

len & bev

--
"Be Content With What You Have And
May You Find Serenity and Tranquillity In
A World That You May Not Understand."

http://www.lensgarden.com.au/

"'Mike'" wrote in message
...


"Martin Harran" wrote in message
...
I'm having a major problem with tree roots cracking my tarmac drive.

I'm not sure exactly where the roots are coming from, I have a beech
hedge alongside the driveway, about 8 yeras old and only 4 ft high.
Immediately behind that is a Leylandii hedge that my neighbour planted
about 10 years ago which he keeps trimmed about 8 ft high - I'm much more
suspicious of the leylandii.

I don't want really want to cut down my own beech hedge - I planted it in
front of the leylandii because I detest leylandii hedging - and I don't
want to ask my neighbour to kill off his hedge when I'm not certain that
is casuing the problem.

What I was thinking of doing was to drill some holes in the tarmac where
the cracks are and try to kill off the roots at that point, keeping my
fingers crossed that the hedge will survive with the roots going in the
opposite direction.

Is this likely to work and can anyone recommend a suitable chemical to
apply?



Do you live in an Avenue with trees on the pavement outside your property
and could the roots come from these?
Is there room for you to dig an investigatory trench the width of a border
spade along the edge of the tarmac to see where the roots are coming from?
Are they coming from 'North', 'South' 'East' or 'West' so to speak or just
one direction? "CAN" they be coming from anywhere or is the house/garage
in the way in certain directions?


Nope, layout is (hopethis works) :

^
N

--- neighbour's lawn --- | leylandii | beech | driveway | my house
--- neighbour's lawn--- | leylandii | beech | driveway | my house
--- neighbour's lawn--- | leylandii | beech | driveway | my house
--- neighbour's lawn--- | leylandii | beech | driveway | my house
--- neighbour's lawn--- | leylandii | beech | driveway | my house

Roots are spreading W to E i.e. from hedge towards house so definitely one
of the hedges is to blame.

Don't have much space to dig but I'll try it, see if I can get down to cut
the offending roots.

Any easy way to tell difference between Leylandii roots and Beech roots ?

On Jun 1, 1:08 pm, "Martin Harran" wrote:
I'm having a major problem with tree roots cracking my tarmac drive.

I'm not sure exactly where the roots are coming from, I have a beech hedge
alongside the driveway, about 8 yeras old and only 4 ft high. Immediately
behind that is a Leylandii hedge that my neighbour planted about 10 years
ago which he keeps trimmed about 8 ft high - I'm much more suspicious of the
leylandii.

I don't want really want to cut down my own beech hedge - I planted it in
front of the leylandii because I detest leylandii hedging - and I don't want
to ask my neighbour to kill off his hedge when I'm not certain that is
casuing the problem.

What I was thinking of doing was to drill some holes in the tarmac where the
cracks are and try to kill off the roots at that point, keeping my fingers
crossed that the hedge will survive with the roots going in the opposite
direction.

Is this likely to work and can anyone recommend a suitable chemical to
apply?

Risky.No guarantee you will kill of the desired roots.
You could get rid of the tarmac.

On Jun 1, 7:24 pm, "Martin Harran" wrote:
"'Mike'" wrote in message

...







"Martin Harran" wrote in message
...
I'm having a major problem with tree roots cracking my tarmac drive.

I'm not sure exactly where the roots are coming from, I have a beech
hedge alongside the driveway, about 8 yeras old and only 4 ft high.
Immediately behind that is a Leylandii hedge that my neighbour planted
about 10 years ago which he keeps trimmed about 8 ft high - I'm much more
suspicious of the leylandii.

I don't want really want to cut down my own beech hedge - I planted it in
front of the leylandii because I detest leylandii hedging - and I don't
want to ask my neighbour to kill off his hedge when I'm not certain that
is casuing the problem.

What I was thinking of doing was to drill some holes in the tarmac where
the cracks are and try to kill off the roots at that point, keeping my
fingers crossed that the hedge will survive with the roots going in the
opposite direction.

Is this likely to work and can anyone recommend a suitable chemical to
apply?

Do you live in an Avenue withtreeson the pavement outside your property
and could the roots come from these?
Is there room for you to dig an investigatory trench the width of a border
spade along the edge of the tarmac to see where the roots are coming from?
Are they coming from 'North', 'South' 'East' or 'West' so to speak or just
one direction? "CAN" they be coming from anywhere or is the house/garage
in the way in certain directions?

Nope, layout is (hopethis works) :

^
N

--- neighbour's lawn --- | leylandii | beech | driveway | my house
--- neighbour's lawn--- | leylandii | beech | driveway | my house
--- neighbour's lawn--- | leylandii | beech | driveway | my house
--- neighbour's lawn--- | leylandii | beech | driveway | my house
--- neighbour's lawn--- | leylandii | beech | driveway | my house

Roots are spreading W to E i.e. from hedge towards house so definitely one
of the hedges is to blame.

Don't have much space to dig but I'll try it, see if I can get down to cut
the offending roots.

Any easy way to tell difference between Leylandii roots and Beech roots ?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Leylandii roots: softer, longer grained, resinous- can smell that they
are Coniferous.
Beech roots:short grained hard, won't smell of Conifer.

On Fri, 1 Jun 2007 13:08:51 +0100, "Martin Harran"
wrote:

I'm having a major problem with tree roots cracking my tarmac drive.

I'm not sure exactly where the roots are coming from, I have a beech hedge
alongside the driveway, about 8 yeras old and only 4 ft high. Immediately
behind that is a Leylandii hedge that my neighbour planted about 10 years
ago which he keeps trimmed about 8 ft high - I'm much more suspicious of the
leylandii.

I don't want really want to cut down my own beech hedge - I planted it in
front of the leylandii because I detest leylandii hedging - and I don't want
to ask my neighbour to kill off his hedge when I'm not certain that is
casuing the problem.

What I was thinking of doing was to drill some holes in the tarmac where the
cracks are and try to kill off the roots at that point, keeping my fingers
crossed that the hedge will survive with the roots going in the opposite
direction.

Is this likely to work and can anyone recommend a suitable chemical to
apply?


I had a problem with tree roots having found their way into a drain
inspection chamber in my back garden. I periodically saw them off. I
did consult the local Council Arboricultural Officer as the options
are either a Silver Fir or Weeping Willow in my own garden or the
Council's mature Limes on the other side of the fence.
He did say that they could get a species identified via a root sample
(although not an individual tree) through the Rothampsted
establishment (http://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/) I don't know if they
would help a private individual but I'm keeping the Council option
open in case the problem gets any worse. I'd be loath to start
killing anything before I knew exactly what was causing the problem.
You are allowed to prune roots entering the property (with care not to
render a tree unstable and dangerous) but I'm not sure about the
legality of actually killing trees which are not your own property.

On Jun 3, 8:21 pm, Jupiter wrote:
On Fri, 1 Jun 2007 13:08:51 +0100, "Martin Harran"





wrote:
I'm having a major problem with tree roots cracking my tarmac drive.

I'm not sure exactly where the roots are coming from, I have a beech hedge
alongside the driveway, about 8 yeras old and only 4 ft high. Immediately
behind that is a Leylandii hedge that my neighbour planted about 10 years
ago which he keeps trimmed about 8 ft high - I'm much more suspicious of the
leylandii.

I don't want really want to cut down my own beech hedge - I planted it in
front of the leylandii because I detest leylandii hedging - and I don't want
to ask my neighbour to kill off his hedge when I'm not certain that is
casuing the problem.

What I was thinking of doing was to drill some holes in the tarmac where the
cracks are and try to kill off the roots at that point, keeping my fingers
crossed that the hedge will survive with the roots going in the opposite
direction.

Is this likely to work and can anyone recommend a suitable chemical to
apply?

I had a problem with tree roots having found their way into a drain
inspection chamber in my back garden. I periodically saw them off. I
did consult the local Council Arboricultural Officer as the options
are either a Silver Fir or Weeping Willow in my own garden or the
Council's mature Limes on the other side of the fence.
He did say that they could get a species identified via a root sample
(although not an individual tree) through the Rothampsted
establishment (http://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/) I don't know if they
would help a private individual but I'm keeping the Council option
open in case the problem gets any worse. I'd be loath to start
killing anything before I knew exactly what was causing the problem.
You are allowed to prune roots entering the property (with care not to
render a tree unstable and dangerous) but I'm not sure about the
legality of actually killingtreeswhich are not your own property.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Bit of a grey area in many respects. A tree belongs to the owner of
the property. To unwittingly render a unstable or dangerous probably
is a poor defence in the event of accident or injury incurred to a
person or property through the failure of the tree.
More often than not the effects of injury to a tree do not become
known until years later. So, you could do this, that or the other, the
tree (or a tree) could appear fine, five years later it comes to
someone's attention that the tree is unsound.

"Martin Harran" wrote in message
...
I'm having a major problem with tree roots cracking my tarmac drive.

I'm not sure exactly where the roots are coming from, I have a beech hedge
alongside the driveway, about 8 yeras old and only 4 ft high. Immediately
behind that is a Leylandii hedge that my neighbour planted about 10 years
ago which he keeps trimmed about 8 ft high - I'm much more suspicious of
the leylandii.

I don't want really want to cut down my own beech hedge - I planted it in
front of the leylandii because I detest leylandii hedging - and I don't
want to ask my neighbour to kill off his hedge when I'm not certain that
is casuing the problem.

What I was thinking of doing was to drill some holes in the tarmac where
the cracks are and try to kill off the roots at that point, keeping my
fingers crossed that the hedge will survive with the roots going in the
opposite direction.

Is this likely to work and can anyone recommend a suitable chemical to
apply?


Why not replace the tarmac drive with gravel? Problem solved!

Treelady wrote:
On Jun 3, 8:21 pm, Jupiter wrote:
On Fri, 1 Jun 2007 13:08:51 +0100, "Martin Harran"





wrote:
I'm having a major problem with tree roots cracking my tarmac drive.
I'm not sure exactly where the roots are coming from, I have a beech hedge
alongside the driveway, about 8 yeras old and only 4 ft high. Immediately
behind that is a Leylandii hedge that my neighbour planted about 10 years
ago which he keeps trimmed about 8 ft high - I'm much more suspicious of the
leylandii.
I don't want really want to cut down my own beech hedge - I planted it in
front of the leylandii because I detest leylandii hedging - and I don't want
to ask my neighbour to kill off his hedge when I'm not certain that is
casuing the problem.
What I was thinking of doing was to drill some holes in the tarmac where the
cracks are and try to kill off the roots at that point, keeping my fingers
crossed that the hedge will survive with the roots going in the opposite
direction.
Is this likely to work and can anyone recommend a suitable chemical to
apply?
I had a problem with tree roots having found their way into a drain
inspection chamber in my back garden. I periodically saw them off. I
did consult the local Council Arboricultural Officer as the options
are either a Silver Fir or Weeping Willow in my own garden or the
Council's mature Limes on the other side of the fence.
He did say that they could get a species identified via a root sample
(although not an individual tree) through the Rothampsted
establishment (http://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/) I don't know if they
would help a private individual but I'm keeping the Council option
open in case the problem gets any worse. I'd be loath to start
killing anything before I knew exactly what was causing the problem.
You are allowed to prune roots entering the property (with care not to
render a tree unstable and dangerous) but I'm not sure about the
legality of actually killingtreeswhich are not your own property.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Bit of a grey area in many respects. A tree belongs to the owner of
the property. To unwittingly render a unstable or dangerous probably
is a poor defence in the event of accident or injury incurred to a
person or property through the failure of the tree.
More often than not the effects of injury to a tree do not become
known until years later. So, you could do this, that or the other, the
tree (or a tree) could appear fine, five years later it comes to
someone's attention that the tree is unsound.


This surely works both ways. If the tree belongs to a neighbour and you
are not allowed to harm it, then said neighbour must be liable for any
damage done by the tree outside his property.

"M" wrote in message
...
"Martin Harran" wrote in message
...

Why not replace the tarmac drive with gravel? Problem solved!

Gravel wouldn't work because there's a steep slope on part of the drive.

I'm also worried about the roots actually going under the house.