Subject: maple trees and roots

From: [email-masked] (Ed Palka)
Date: 4 Apr 1995 12:53:09 GMT

Can the roots of a maple tree be contained?  I would like to grow grass around
a maple tree (at least 10 feet away from the tree) but because of the surface
roots, it's almost impossible to do so.  Can I dig a ditch around the tree
and fill it in with concrete (1 foot down) to stop the roots from spreading ?

---

From: [email-masked]
Date: 5 Apr 95 17:08:07 -0600

> and fill it in with concrete (1 foot down) to stop the roots from spreading ?

Most maples have most of their roots in the upper part of the soil, and
grass doesn't grow there because the maples are sucking up the water
and fertilizer.  Ditching the tree's roots probably isn't going to
do much but kill it.

Instead, think about other plants that do well in dry shade, and use
those for groundcover.  Or build a nice redwood bench encircling the
tree, and take advantage of a shady spot to sit.  Add some pots of
impatiens or begonias on the bench, or tubs set under the tree to
give it a "focus".  

One of the best tools a gardener has is the ability to "think laterally".
You can either fight a tree so you can grow grass there, or you can
change your ideas about what that part of the yard should look like,
and "go with the flow".  It's a whole lot easier to cooperate with
nature than fight it.

Kay Klier  [email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked] (Christine Owens)
Date: 5 Apr 1995 07:48:38 GMT

>and fill it in with concrete (1 foot down) to stop the roots from spreading ?

You will do one of two things with this plan:  Kill the tree, or 
discover that the roots grow over, under, and through the
concrete.

Chris Owens

---

From: [email-masked] (MiKe Griggs)
Date: Wed, 05 Apr 1995 08:30:33 -0400

Trees can easily be containerized, look at street side trees sandwiched
between road and sidewalk. From your description it sounds like this tree
has been in this location for some time but you don'trealy provide enough
information for a real in depth posting of a solution. I would suggest
mulching the base of your tree out far enough to cover the offending
roots. Lawn mower damage to roots is a primary suspect of early decline in
yard plantings. The more distant roots are probably not that offensive
(guessing without knowing).  Old arboricultural wisdom held that the
majority of the feeder roots were within the drip line of the tree.  New
insight reveals that in non containerized locations a majority of the
feeder roots are external to the drip line. Hope this helps  Mike

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked]
Date: 5 Apr 95 17:08:07 -0600

---

From: [email-masked] (Christine Owens)
Date: 5 Apr 1995 07:48:38 GMT

Chris Owens

---

From: [email-masked] (MiKe Griggs)
Date: Wed, 05 Apr 1995 08:30:33 -0400

---

From: [email-masked]
Date: 5 Apr 95 17:08:07 -0600

---

From: [email-masked] (Christine Owens)
Date: 5 Apr 1995 07:48:38 GMT

Chris Owens

---

From: [email-masked] (MiKe Griggs)
Date: Wed, 05 Apr 1995 08:30:33 -0400