root cutting

[Land Design]

Hello all, new to site and would appreciate any help you could offer. I have been landscaping for awhile and along the way only done a small amount of tree work. I have a customer who has four locust trees that are within 2ft. of a their parking lot. Due to this, every tree has one root growing under the parking lot and cracking it. They would like me to use a stump grinder to cut through each root (one per tree) going into the parking lot. My question is.......will this kill the tree?


Thanks for any help you can offer


Land Design

 

[Reed]

Well they removed **** Cheney's testicles when he had the AbioMed (Abiocore) artificial heart implanted, didn't slow him down any.

(by the way, we're not suppossed to know he's sporting an artificial heart)

Have a friend without legs, he's alive as well.

Think structural support. Think about it. Wind and stuff? Yeah.

Food's another point. How stressed are these trees? Hot black asphalt? Any preforations?

 

[Greg]

great response oak!! Hahahaha!!!

I realllly reallly doubt that only 1 root per tree is your problem. Removing the soil with an air tool (Air spade) would probably be your best bet to see what is really going on under ground where they want the roots cut. Take a picture of the trees and site and you will get better advice.

Welcome!! not everyone here is a smart a$$, just the majority.
Greg

 

[Land Design]

Thanks for the help, I'll take a closer look at the root system

 

[mquinn]

oh my. poor ****. you're making me feel sorry for him now.

anybody gonna talk about the cracks in the parking lot being from some other cause and the tree roots simply making an opportunistic appearance therein?

bob w has talked about the fallacy of the idea that roots crack walks and foundations ever since i've known him. he makes really good points.

and just this morning in an otherwise sleeper meeting, the boss said he read in the latest j of arboriculture (i think that's where he said) research showing that sidewalk cracks were not caused by tree roots - that the cracks arose and then the roots grew into them - more oxygen for one thing i think was mentioned - haven't read the article yet.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

JOA V28:#6

WHICH COMES FIRST, THE ROOT OR THE CRACK?
&
ROOT GROWTH BENEATH SIDEWALKS NEAR TREES OF FOUR GENERA

http://joa.isa-arbor.com/request.asp?JournalID=1&ArticleID=63&Type=1


Here is my take on roots and structures.

In situations where there are butress stuctures, then the tree can cause heaving of slabs and curbs.

O2 (free oxy) is the biggest limiting factor for root propigation/colonization. H2O is the second. Anyplace where there is a leak in a structure there will be more aeration of the soil. Be this a side walk, basement floor, or sewer pipe.

Roots are dendretic structures that will "explore" the surouinding area, if one path leads to better pastures, then it will increase its carrying capasity. A leaky sewer pipe creates a plume of aerated, nutrient rich wate, so the trees grow towards it.

A cracked foundation, and draintiles will do the same.

Under engineered asphault lots with heavy traffic fracture and allow aerated water to penetrate, wich allows for woody root development. The the roots forma supporting structure for small areas of the lot and the rest sinks around them.

But this is all mot for your needs. The severing of roots will not kill the tree automaticly, but will increase the chance of failure. if decay is introduced through the wound then the support structure is gone. Failure of this sort is usualy towards the lost root, much like trying to stand without any toes. Roots are more lie props then anchors.

At two feet the chance of decay is rather high, so if it is done then the trees should be on a periodic monitoring program. At the very least, put the recomendation in your proposal to CYA incase of future failure.

The short answer to your question as to wether it will harm th trees is "It depends..."

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Nobody mentioned that he should stick to this rule of thumb:
"Stay at least five times the trees diameter away from the tree."
If this is done, only one root is cut, and the trees aren't already stressed, they should survive.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I thought about it but he said it is 2 ft from the lot.

I've used the minimum D*3...D*5 rule for the most part when talking to people. 3 being minimal 5 being optimal for severing the root plate.

For individual roots I dont think it is that critical, as long as you are out of the "zone of rapid taper".