A question out of the Ordinary

[Abnmonty]

Since I am locked from my backyard because of a sloping hill and can not get the PU into the backyard, I have decided to add a 9'X42' concrete driveway adjacent to my already existing driveway.

My concerns are these:

1. About a foot and a half away from the planned driveway, grows a Dogwood tree that is about 15 feet tall. I have had three different concrete contractors give me estimates on the concrete job and one wants to cut the tree down while the other two say that cutting the tree roots straight down where the concrete is to be poured that it will prevent the roots from cracking the driveway.

2. Since I don't know anything about concrete, their comments about how they will go about doing the work is confusing to me. Is there someone in this forum that might give me some pointers in asking the correct questions? Still better, answers to the many, many more questions that will eventually come up?

I want to save the tree, but at the same time I don't want the tree roots to crack the driveway. Should I Cut or try to save the tree?

I honestly need your help! Thanks!
Abnmonty

 

[Stumper]

Sadly, I will say cut it. That dogwood is very unlikely to ever crack the concrete but cutting all the roots on one side and covering the root zone with concrete will probably result in the tree's death within 5 years.

 

[rb_in_va]

Abnmonty,
I don't know where the tree is in relation to the planned drive, but have you considered leaving sort of a cutout for the tree. Also it might add some character to the otherwise straight lines normally seen in driveways. Just a thought, later, Roger.

If you had some pics it would help to visualize it more clearly.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Post some pictures for a better answer. What is the trunk diameter a foot off the ground and at 4.5' off the ground?

There are many products available to deal with roots. One that you should investigate is a fabric that has nodules of root inhibiting hormones attached. The hormones dissolve into the soil to discourage the roots from growing into the space. I can't think of the name right now but someone will come up with it. You would spread the fabric on the soil and put the concrete directly on top.

If you're concerned about the tree growing in diameter and encroaching on the slab the concrete company can always but in expansion joints nearby. It would be a shame to loose a large tree. The roots system on dogwood trees isn't very large so I would doubt that you will have any issues. Besides, it takes a very large tree many years to crack sidewalks.

Tom

 

[jimmyq]

How about using grass pavers? they are large paving bricks with openings to allow grass, water etc to get through and they allow for the roots to grow without a problem. Maybe just a section for the tree? If you hack all the roots off one side I would say you also have a high likelyhood that the tree would fail during heavy wind coming from the right direction. If you do cut it down, try to plant a replacement somewhere in the yard, good karma kinda thing.

 

[Guy Meilleur]

Originally posted by jimmyq
How about using grass pavers?

Yes, driveways can be made of many materials different from concrete. www.stalite.com

 

[Abnmonty]

Thank you for all of the helpfull information. Your input has helped me make my decision.

I now believe that a large slab of concrete so close to the roots would not only kill the tree, but create a hot reflecting spot for all of the vegetation around the immediate area, so what I plan to do is to put two 2X12X24 inch pressure treated boards under each wheel. That will keep the wheels from being in contact with the ground. But that will most certainly kill the grass underneath the boards. If there are better ideas out there please let me know, I am open to suggestions. Thanks!

 

[Guy Meilleur]

If you drive straighter than I do it oughta be ok.

 

[Abnmonty]

It isn't a matter of driving straighter but rather that I simply put the boards underneath the wheels then drive forward until the camper wheels are over the boards. I use this method when I go camping. I find the spot then drive forward, I enjoyed the laugh though. Thanks!

 

[hobby climber]

Don't know if this helps but one customer of mine had the same kinda problem you do. What he did was lay driveway brick (or stone) around the tree in a circle and poured rest of the driveway around the brick on one side. He did some nice landscaping along the driveway and around the other side of the tree to break up the lines. His tree is now the focal point in his yard. Use fine beech stone & sand under the bricks and NOT lime stone ! The lime will harm your tree.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Another so0lution I've seen is a mulch bed driveway. Contact local tree care companies and the ROW trimmers. Many will dump loads of chip for free when they are in the area.

A comment on the geostructure turf drives, they still require a good solid base, so excivation in the root zone would be needed. What these things are are small concrete or palstic cups that hold a small amount of soil and a patch of turf. So they will need more irrigation then regular turf too.

I like HC's comment on high pH stone. We are high pH to bigine with and on many occasions I have been out to llok at decline problems that after a little inspection can be directly attribute to crushed limestone drive ways. My latest one was well away from the drive, but the plowboys would push snow up under the CO spruce trees, leaving piles of stone fines for the sno melt to leach through. Over time that raised the local soil pH and the trees in the immidiate area had cytospora while the ones further away were perfectly healthy. One could follow the drainage pattern and see the decreasing effect in the small stand.