TabeaK
ArboristSite Lurker
Hello hive mind, I have gone down the rabbit hole the last few days trying to pick out trees to replace all of the Ash trees we lost to the EAB and I am getting more confused, the more I research, lol.
Basic Facts:
- Central NJ location, Zone 6
- Mostly clay soil, fairly wet
- We have a septic tank/septic mound system in the front yard (replaced in 2019), it is an aerobic system with a pump & aerator & a bunch of other stuff I don't fully understand, but it has been working beautifully and passed its latest annual inspection
- We had gorgeous mature ash trees providing shade to the house - all gone as of this spring and cut down because they died from EAB
- We have numerous maples thriving in the environment, including what is mostly a maple forest (with a good number of dead ash trees mixed in) behind the house
I want to replace those ash trees (height was between 40 - 60ft) that used to provide shade to the house - obviously ash is out, we have no viable ash trees left in our area and the EAB is very active. I would like deciduous trees..
For shade/privacy reasons I want to plant in the general vicinity of where those ash trees used to be. Which is between 45-50ft each from the far end of the septic mound leach lines (measured from the end outlet pipe caps that we have in the septic mound) AND the actual septic tank (which is under a garden bed that has been planted with shallow rooted perennials). The pipes connecting the septic tank to the beginning of the mound leach lines are more like 70 - 100ft away. We'd also be 30-40ft+ from the house foundations.
I originally dreamed about some gorgeous weeping willows that would help with wet soil - but then learned about invasive roots that need to be 100ft + from septic components. So that is out... Next idea was tulip poplars for their fast growing behavior. But those also have the invasive root problem. As, apparently do most maples, beeches, birches... I have also seen ash on that list, but obviously, there were ash trees there before for many, many years before I ever moved there.
So what does that leave me with tree-wise - oaks? I need something that will reach at least 30-40ft as it is for shade provision...
Am I overthinking this and 40ft+ or so distance is actually fine?
Basic Facts:
- Central NJ location, Zone 6
- Mostly clay soil, fairly wet
- We have a septic tank/septic mound system in the front yard (replaced in 2019), it is an aerobic system with a pump & aerator & a bunch of other stuff I don't fully understand, but it has been working beautifully and passed its latest annual inspection
- We had gorgeous mature ash trees providing shade to the house - all gone as of this spring and cut down because they died from EAB
- We have numerous maples thriving in the environment, including what is mostly a maple forest (with a good number of dead ash trees mixed in) behind the house
I want to replace those ash trees (height was between 40 - 60ft) that used to provide shade to the house - obviously ash is out, we have no viable ash trees left in our area and the EAB is very active. I would like deciduous trees..
For shade/privacy reasons I want to plant in the general vicinity of where those ash trees used to be. Which is between 45-50ft each from the far end of the septic mound leach lines (measured from the end outlet pipe caps that we have in the septic mound) AND the actual septic tank (which is under a garden bed that has been planted with shallow rooted perennials). The pipes connecting the septic tank to the beginning of the mound leach lines are more like 70 - 100ft away. We'd also be 30-40ft+ from the house foundations.
I originally dreamed about some gorgeous weeping willows that would help with wet soil - but then learned about invasive roots that need to be 100ft + from septic components. So that is out... Next idea was tulip poplars for their fast growing behavior. But those also have the invasive root problem. As, apparently do most maples, beeches, birches... I have also seen ash on that list, but obviously, there were ash trees there before for many, many years before I ever moved there.
So what does that leave me with tree-wise - oaks? I need something that will reach at least 30-40ft as it is for shade provision...
Am I overthinking this and 40ft+ or so distance is actually fine?