Exposed Tree roots

[CTShoreGuy]

Hi all!

I have a weeping cherry with some knarly twisted exposed roots. There are other trees where I am noticing the roots exposing themselves

Is there anything I can do, short of wacking the trees to keep these roots from tearing up my yard?

THANKS!

[andy10917]

Cherry trees are pretty shallow-rooted trees, as are some varieties of Maples. That's just the way they are.

Don't try covering the roots with topsoil - the tree will suffocate, believe it or not. The roots require a high-oxygen environment. If it survives, it will send new roots to the surface because that's what nature tells it to do.

[CTShoreGuy]

Cherry trees are pretty shallow-rooted trees, as are some varieties of Maples. That's just the way they are.

Don't try covering the roots with topsoil - the tree will suffocate, believe it or not. The roots require a high-oxygen environment. If it survives, it will send new roots to the surface because that's what nature tells it to do.

Thanks Andy - I can live with the weeping cherry's roots they are not very noticebale

The other 2 look like their roots can take over the lawn, and by what I've seen with some of my neighbors, their roots are spreadin and destroying their lawn

Any ideas on taking care of the exposed roots of these 2 trees?

[MorpheusPA]

Nothing at all. Surface tree roots tend to indicate a) soil compaction, b) a tree that requires a vast amount of oxygen to the main roots, c) bad luck, or d) improper planting. Cherries tend toward B...their roots are shallow and require a vast amount of oxygen to function.

Except for A, there's nothing you can do it about it, and the fact that the roots are that way means they'll stay that way. For the most part, cut the roots, kill the tree. You can try covering it with soil, but it'll erode away, probably won't work, and will kill the tree anyway.

[CTShoreGuy]

Nothing at all. Surface tree roots tend to indicate a) soil compaction, b) a tree that requires a vast amount of oxygen to the main roots, c) bad luck, or d) improper planting. Cherries tend toward B...their roots are shallow and require a vast amount of oxygen to function.

Except for A, there's nothing you can do it about it, and the fact that the roots are that way means they'll stay that way. For the most part, cut the roots, kill the tree. You can try covering it with soil, but it'll erode away, probably won't work, and will kill the tree anyway.

Thanks Morph - I did hit those exposed root areas pretty well with AP..Looks like that's my only option..I have warned the wife that if it gets as bad as some of the neighbors, it's getting wacked especially after last years front reno!

[MorpheusPA]

That would be my response...if the tree is intolerable, out it comes. I intentionally chose ones that don't do that because I can't stand exposed tree roots!

[CTShoreGuy]

That would be my response...if the tree is intolerable, out it comes. I intentionally chose ones that don't do that because I can't stand exposed tree roots!

What I've been hearing around the 'hood is that they didn't plant these trees deep enough
I also heard that the tree is not 'technically mine', although it's on my property (w ebelong to an association, pay monthly dues for the green to be watered, garbage, snow removal etc

Well if I want that tree that is on my property down, guess what? it's coming DOWN!!! especially if it's wrecking the reno

[MorpheusPA]

My mother is on the local shade tree committee here. Technically, you can't do that unless the tree dies, at which point you MUST replace it. Doing either (removing a living tree or not replacing a dead one) will get you a very hefty fine. You'll need to check your local laws.

By the way, cherry trees absolutely cannot stand repeated applications of Round Up and aren't thrilled with Weed B Gone. So, what I'm saying here, is that at no time should you ever spray the tree with Round Up, nor do it with Weed B Gone every 2 days for about 3 weeks. You'll kill it. And then you'd legally have to replace it. That would be a really bad thing, you know?

[reppend]

FUHGETABOUTIT!

[CTShoreGuy]

Morph - The Cherry Tree is actually a centerpiece to my backyard, that stays or I'm sleeping in the yard (hmm not a bad idea LOL) I was just tryin to reduce the roots, but where they are i can live with them.

Now the front (2009 reno) and back (2010 reno) is where I may have issues, especially the one by the street (I'll have to read the by laws etc)

I'm certain it was improper planting..get 'em in throw dirt etc and move on we got 250 of these to put in

[MorpheusPA]

Morph - The Cherry Tree is actually a centerpiece to my backyard, that stays or I'm sleeping in the yard (hmm not a bad idea LOL) I was just tryin to reduce the roots, but where they are i can live with them.

Now the front (2009 reno) and back (2010 reno) is where I may have issues, especially the one by the street (I'll have to read the by laws etc)

I'm certain it was improper planting..get 'em in throw dirt etc and move on we got 250 of these to put in

We had the same and I ended up digging up the street trees in dead of night (no, really, I did) and placing the knees at the proper location. Surprisingly, or perhaps not, most of the other properties have had to replace both. Ours just grow like mad.

Yeah, my Cleveland pear is a keynote in the back yard and I love it (and will hear no bad things about pear trees...it'll get replaced when its limited lifespan ends...with another Cleveland pear). The same with the tulip poplar on the other side. I understand the issues. I'll deal with them.

So then you really shouldn't let any Round Up or Weed-B-Gone get on those front trees. Might kill 'em you know. Pity if that happened.

[CTShoreGuy]

Morph - The Cherry Tree is actually a centerpiece to my backyard, that stays or I'm sleeping in the yard (hmm not a bad idea LOL) I was just tryin to reduce the roots, but where they are i can live with them.

Now the front (2009 reno) and back (2010 reno) is where I may have issues, especially the one by the street (I'll have to read the by laws etc)

I'm certain it was improper planting..get 'em in throw dirt etc and move on we got 250 of these to put in

We had the same and I ended up digging up the street trees in dead of night (no, really, I did) and placing the knees at the proper location. Surprisingly, or perhaps not, most of the other properties have had to replace both. Ours just grow like mad.

Yeah, my Cleveland pear is a keynote in the back yard and I love it (and will hear no bad things about pear trees...it'll get replaced when its limited lifespan ends...with another Cleveland pear). The same with the tulip poplar on the other side. I understand the issues. I'll deal with them.

So then you really shouldn't let any Round Up or Weed-B-Gone get on those front trees. Might kill 'em you know. Pity if that happened.

Now that I think about it, the front tree survived when I used spectrazide to kill the front..Now when I reno the back yard, that other tree may just get too much of the death! We took 2 others out in the back b/c of some issues, and my wife kept the 3rd for the shade over the playset..Hey the kids need sun right?? LOL

[MorpheusPA]

Now that I think about it, the front tree survived when I used spectrazide to kill the front..Now when I reno the back yard, that other tree may just get too much of the death! We took 2 others out in the back b/c of some issues, and my wife kept the 3rd for the shade over the playset..Hey the kids need sun right?? LOL

It will. It'd be a pity if the Round Up or Weed-B-Gone got on the leaves, is what I'm saying. More than seventy five percent coverage and...oops. Application of most things around roots isn't an issue as the roots don't uptake the herbicide very well (or, in some cases, at all).

Surprisingly, a lawn will survive a fair clip of shade from trees. Neither of my two cause any issues, although I wouldn't expect they would. The Cleveland is nearly fully grown at about 12' and not going to shade much more than it already does. The tulip poplar will never shade my back yard very well, it's on the north side. The neighbors' lawn might have an issue with it, though.

If it gets four to six hours of sun a day (the lawn, not the tree) it grows OK. The more the better, of course. The issue with trees is their ability to draw water away from the grass so some extra watering is required.