Dryer vent on Japanese Maple

[jon-w9]

I installed a retaining wall recently, and my wife and I would like to plant a Japanese maple (probably lace leaf) in it. I was wondering it a dryer vent from the house would damage the tree in any way.

The tree would be about 4-6 feet from the vent. Is this too close to the vent? It this too close to the house? I can try to take a pic during lunch as reference. Thank you.

 

[Stumper]

That doesn't sound terribly close to the vent but awfully close to the house.If you are going to plant there and the dryer vents directly onto the tree I would suggest installing a diverter so that the air blows past rather than onto the trunk.

 

[jon-w9]

I was wondering about that. I will try to take a picture this evening. I was under the imperssion that Japanese maples remain small. I guess I was mistaken.

Anyway, I will take a picture to help explain the situation, and possible get some reccomendations for an ornamental tree there. Thanks.

 

[jon-w9]

OK, here are the pictures. Hopefully this may help a bit. I guess I would like to know if the vent would be OK, and if a Japanese Maple would be OK, of some kind of decorative tree for the spot.

From the front, the tree would be in/on the mound, and the dryer vent is of course on the left of the sump drain.

I am hoping to plant in the purple ring, which is 5' from the house. Does a Japanese maple stay in it's small state, or would it eventually get too big for the area? Is there some sort of dwarf tree that could give about the same results?

 

[geofore]

roots

When you plant that close to the house you need to think about how long it will take the roots to reach the foundation of the house and cause trouble, or how long before the roots wrap around the sewer line and crush it. Ask another question, how far away is it from cable, phone ane electric lines how long before it grows into the lines. Ask the questions now before you have trouble later. Is the tree going to get big enough to lift the driveway with it's roots?

 

[jon-w9]

Re: roots

Originally posted by geofore
When you plant that close to the house you need to think about how long it will take the roots to reach the foundation of the house and cause trouble, or how long before the roots wrap around the sewer line and crush it. Ask another question, how far away is it from cable, phone ane electric lines how long before it grows into the lines. Ask the questions now before you have trouble later. Is the tree going to get big enough to lift the driveway with it's roots?

So, is there really anything that will go there? I know a Jap. Maple is slow growing, so I assume the roots would be too?

I didn't even think about the sewer line/storm drain. Cable, phone, and electric are plenty far away. I don't know about lifting the driveway with it's roots.

Is there something better to put there, or am I stuck with just flowers and the like?

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Geofore's going to get yelled at by Bob W., I bet. Roots from a big bush/small tree are not going to upset a foundation or crush a sewer line!

I think the spot shown is perfect for the plant in question. The dryer vent will keep the plant from growing in about a one or two foot radius, depending on how much you run the dryer.
When choosing a cultivar of the Maple, consider mature size.

Is that that the final grade? It almost looks like things are draining towards the foundation in spots.

 

[jon-w9]

Originally posted by Mike Maas
Geofore's going to get yelled at by Bob W., I bet. Roots from a big bush/small tree are not going to upset a foundation or crush a sewer line!

I think the spot shown is perfect for the plant in question. The dryer vent will keep the plant from growing in about a one or two foot radius, depending on how much you run the dryer.
When choosing a cultivar of the Maple, consider mature size.

Is that that the final grade? It almost looks like things are draining towards the foundation in spots.

Yes that is the final grade. Actually, I made a bit of a mound in the middle, but I think the rest is sloped fine, with drain tile behind the retaining wall. I guess I could water the area and see where the water goes to verify.

What is the mature size of Japanes maple? Most of what I have seen are all quite small, and grow very slowly as far as I know.

Thank you for your input Mike...

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

My reference book says 25 feet, with some wild specimans growing 50 feet at maturity.
Of the cultivars listed, many were around 10 feet. That's height and width, 'cus they grow kinda round.
As an arborist, I don't see many Japanese Maples, but I spend too much time cutting trees back that were planted too close to obsticals. It can be done, it just takes time and makes the tree look un-natural for a time while it grows back.
My concern about the grade was that you might be directing water toward your foundation, and cause a wet basement.

 

[Jumper]

Not sure where you are in Michigan, but my parents in Toronto have a 25+ year old Japanese Maple that is planted next to their house with afternoon sun, with no problems; it is maybe ten feet tall though has been pruned its entire life. I believe that is about their limit as they do not grow well in Ottawa or Montreal(equivalent to northern NY or Vt) at all.

I say go for it; in the event it does not prove to be a good "tree" for the area, remove it a few years down the road and try some begonias.

 

[geofore]

Jap Maple

I think maybe I live a little further south and the trees (bushes) grow a little bigger due to the warmer weather. You say bush but they don't always stay small. If he trims it up he can keep it from hitting the house with a limb and if the roots stay in the prepared area he may be safe but I think he is too close to the house unless he keeps this trimmed, it will take about 10 years before it starts to be too big to be that close unless it gets trimmed back. Ideally it will only grow to ten feet and stop growing taller and the spread on the bush won't reach the house and the roots won't go looking for the water in that down spouts runoff one hot dry summer.

 

[jon-w9]

So, if I plant a Jap. Maple, I would just have to trim it to keep it at a moderate size. Plus, isn't there a "leader" or something I can trim to keep if from getting too tall, but then again that would just cause outward growth right?

The downspout is connected to the drain tile that runs along the wall. Actually that spout is only for the porch roof that is about 6' wide, so not a lot of water goes through there.

I am in Lansing, zone 5. We get both extremes. Hot, humid summers with little rain, and freezing cold winters with lots of snow.

I will check the grade again, I know what you are saying. I believe I will take Mike's and Jumper's advice and go for it. If a few years down the road it gets too big, or problematice, I can pull it for some begonias.

 

[Dan F]

Forget about whether the maple will get into the house. By the time it is big enough to get into the house, the wall will have failed due to the downspout being routed through the tile behind the wall!

The purpose of the tile behind the wall is to *REMOVE* water from the area to relieve hydraulic pressure. You should have used perforated pipe, preferably with a "sock" on it, surrounded by some sort of porous gravel (pea gravel is great).

By routing the downspout through this line, you are in effect, putting more water behind the wall which causes more hydraulic pressure, which will be at maximum when the snow melts off your roof and re-freezes at night behind that wall.

You would be amazed at how much water will drain from that small of a roof in a heavy downpour!

It amazes me that people think that connecting perforated pipe to a downspout is OK. The purpose behind tiling downspouts 99.9% of the time is to get the water OUT of the bed, not introduce more into it.

If I had a nickel for every foot of pipe I've put in the ground over the last 6 years I'd probably be a millionaire!

Now on a different sub-subject, studies have shown that tree roots will not adversely affect sidewalks/driveways as long as the concrete was installed correctly (re-inforced) and at a proper depth (I think at least 4" for sidewalks and 6" for driveways?).

I know this isn't a drainage or wall building forum, but I thought I should point the problem that was obvious to me....


Dan

 

[monkeypuzzle]

Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Crimson Queen' would look good in that spot I think. This tree will match your shutters well.

Go ahead an lay down some bucks for a larger tree. In 20 years this tree will be around 5 feet tall with a spread of around 6 feet.


How many times have you seen a $200,000 house with a $100 landscape job. A top of the line nursery may have a nice tree for about $100. Go as large as you can,they don't grow very fast.

Tolerates a min. of 4*F (15*C) needs protection from frost. Filtered sunlight is best.

 

[jon-w9]

Originally posted by Dan F
The purpose of the tile behind the wall is to *REMOVE* water from the area to relieve hydraulic pressure. You should have used perforated pipe, preferably with a "sock" on it, surrounded by some sort of porous gravel (pea gravel is great).

By routing the downspout through this line, you are in effect, putting more water behind the wall which causes more hydraulic pressure, which will be at maximum when the snow melts off your roof and re-freezes at night behind that wall.

You would be amazed at how much water will drain from that small of a roof in a heavy downpour!

It amazes me that people think that connecting perforated pipe to a downspout is OK. The purpose behind tiling downspouts 99.9% of the time is to get the water OUT of the bed, not introduce more into it.

It is covered, perforated 4" drain pipe. It is in a bed of crushed rock. The water should drain through the wall, but maybe I am wrong. I guess if the wall collapses then that will give my another project to do.

It souds like you are suggesting I would have been better off just letting the downspout dump into the bed?

 

[jon-w9]

Originally posted by monkeypuzzle
Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Crimson Queen' would look good in that spot I think. This tree will match your shutters well.

Go ahead an lay down some bucks for a larger tree. In 20 years this tree will be around 5 feet tall with a spread of around 6 feet.


How many times have you seen a $200,000 house with a $100 landscape job. A top of the line nursery may have a nice tree for about $100. Go as large as you can,they don't grow very fast.

Tolerates a min. of 4*F (15*C) needs protection from frost. Filtered sunlight is best.

Thanks for the info. However, what would need to be done when it gets below zero*F? Does that mean the tree should be covered in the winter, or that this tree isn't suitable for this climate?

 

[monkeypuzzle]

A. palmatum 'Dissectum Crimson Queen' or A. p. 'Dissectum Red Dragon' are the two trees that could handle Zone 5.

BEST to give it morning sun(eastern side of house). Likes micro-climates, which are often warmer and have established trees(filtered sunlight).


When it gets crazy cold(freezing) cover with a sheet or light blanket. Also, mulch the roots with fur bark, or use burlap(to cover base of plant. Fur bark is best.


check them out, very cool trees.

 

[Dan F]

" It is covered, perforated 4" drain pipe. It is in a bed of crushed rock. The water should drain through the wall, but maybe I am wrong. I guess if the wall collapses then that will give my another project to do. "

Some of the water will invariably drain through the wall, as it is not a solid (i.e. poured concrete) wall. However, you want to allieviate water behind the wall, as that is what will eventually cause the wall to fail.

I hope the crushed rock is washed, or the water will have a harder time getting to the pipe.

"It souds like you are suggesting I would have been better off just letting the downspout dump into the bed? "

Nope, not at all. The downspout should be tiled out on a separate tile, a 4" solid wall (non-perforated) corrugated pipe. That should be run under the wall and into the yard or to a ditch, somewhere away from the wall.

Short and sweet wall building:
Excavate for base, figuring at least 4" of compacted limestone and one course of block/timber below grade. Try to get excavated trench as level as possible. Do final leveling with compacted gravel in base. With the type of block you are using, I believe manufacturer states not to go over 2-2.5 feet. Other types can go much taller. Once compacted base is set, start building, but after the first course is set, lay in a perforated pipe behind the wall (as long as the base is level, the water will find it's way out, but if the pipe has some flow, even better), giving an outlet on the *outside* of the wall. Once wall is built to finished hieght (if relatively short), backfill over the pipe with pea gravel to bottom of top course of block. It never hurts to put some sort of fabric between the existing soil and the pea gravel too.

Dan