Please help: have I damaged my mature red Acer maples?

[Treefriendshesam]

I've recently cut down loads of invasive and otherwise overgrown vines, bushes and even little trees in my yard, and also have been working on creating drainage solutions by digging. The lowest point in our yard, and which was previously the most overgrown area is between two sets of 5 trunks of tall, mature red sunset maples, (which are almost certainly at least 40 years old and quite likely 75, like the house. (The latter estimate- I'm guessing because they are placed or situated at regular intervals (13 feet from the house and 13 feet from each other). I've been working on creating a rain garden between the bunches of trees, where water always collects anyway and where an older neighbor had always said there was "an underground spring." I was confidently pulling up and trimming roots, some I knew were poison ivy, Japanese honeysuckle, and whatever bush is growing all over near the fence. We also have invasive catalpa roots I wanted to cut. I was feeling confident and suddenly I'm wondering if I've gone ahead and gotten too aggressive, possibly cutting maple roots, too. I can't seem to find information with images that show how I can tell the difference. I know not to cut any huge roots. I'm talking about a few about an inch in diameter, mostly considerably smaller, and they have curly, hairy-looking projections. How can I reliably know the maple roots from the unwanted ones? If I have cut some on one side of each tree, would that endanger them?

 

[Jed1124]

Cutting roots is never "good" for any tree but it's about the amount and the type that are cut that is generally the issue.
A couple of pictures would be helpful.

 

[Treefriendshesam]

Thank you. Here are the trees and the digging site with some roots sticking out.

 

[Raintree]

Your native multi-leadered red maples (most likely not sunset and not planted) are very hardy and can tolerate minor feeder root disruption. The oder from the Kalpana root will be very different from the maple root, scratch the surface and smell to distinguish.

 

[Treefriendshesam]

Cutting roots is never "good" for any tree but it's about the amount and the type that are cut that is generally the issue.
A couple of pictures would be helpful.

 

[Treefriendshesam]

Oh wow. I was afraid I was going to be wrong on multiple levels. That is very helpful to know. Thank you!

 

[pdqdl]

The oder from the Kalpana root wil

That looks like a bit of a typo. Did you mean "The odor from the Catalpa root..."?

It makes sense, but I don't think I've ever dug up any Catalpa roots and sniffed 'em.

 

[pdqdl]

Also: while you may not care for the Catalpa tree, it is not "invasive" in Connecticut. Its growth rate and tendency to spread by seeds is slower than three of the 10 dominant tree species in your state. Also, about the same growth rate and spread as 4 of the top ten, and faster than three of the top ten. If you only consider the spread of the Catalpa by seeds, they are a bit faster spreading than most of the other trees. However, the primary mode of dispersal for Catalpa seeds tends to be limited to shorter distances due to the lack of specialized adaptations for long-distance travel.

They are a bit messy, what with all the flowers and seed pods, but have a marvelous scent and spectacular flowers in late spring/early summer. They are pretty durable to wind and ice, and have a large open canopy with good shade beneath.

If you don't like the tree, I know of several folks off your way that know how to make them go away.

 

[Treefriendshesam]

I find it interesting that you make this point, about the spread being slower than other trees. I did realize recently that my calling them invasive isn't technically true, but it sure does sprout baby catalpas all over my yard all the time, and they are quick growing, so maybe it's just a lot more noticeable than the maples trying to reproduce all over. Little catalpas have sprung up in lots of seemingly sneaky, strategic places. haha, as well as annoying, like in my dormant/ neglected vegetable garden, alongside my house, just behind my neighbor's fence, barely under the deck....I actually really like the adult catalpa and I don't mind the "messy" stages. I just don't want it sending roots into my foundation, deck, garden, etc. Incidentally, I tried the sniff test. Sure enough, the maple roots smell like dirt or basically nothing much and the catalpas have a strong and pleasant, piney scent. Previous to learning that trick, I was assuming all the reddish roots were catalpa but I think they're actually orange?

 

[Treefriendshesam]

Going back to the roots in the photos, that are now exposed and I'm guessing are actually belonging to the two stands of maples...should Iput down more dirt and bury them, snip them where they emerge from the smallish pit we dug, or leave as-is? Will/ can they make their way back into the dirt? (If so, would that not be possible til Spring?)
Thank you! I'm realizing that trees are probably one of those things that everyone feels comfortable making assumptions about and it must be annoying to be in the know and see how much ignorance is out and about.
@Jed1124 ?

 

[Jed1124]

Going back to the roots in the photos, that are now exposed and I'm guessing are actually belonging to the two stands of maples...should Iput down more dirt and bury them, snip them where they emerge from the smallish pit we dug, or leave as-is? Will/ can they make their way back into the dirt? (If so, would that not be possible til Spring?)
Thank you! I'm realizing that trees are probably one of those things that everyone feels comfortable making assumptions about and it must be annoying to be in the know and see how much ignorance is out and about.
@Jed1124 ?

No worry about those who are "in the know". All things are done in "practice" and are therefore subjective.
In most cases adding more soil will cause further problems in the future, and what you have cut does not seem to be substantial enough to cause future harm. Swamp Red Maple is pretty tolerant to root disturbance.

 

[Treefriendshesam]

No worry about those who are "in the know". All things are done in "practice" and are therefore subjective.
In most cases adding more soil will cause further problems in the future, and what you have cut does not seem to be substantial enough to cause future harm. Swamp Red Maple is pretty tolerant to root disturbance.

Good news. Thank you so much!

 

[Pranav22]

Good news. Thank you so much!

Yes really good news.

 

[lloyd786]

That looks like a bit of a typo. Did you mean "The odor from the Catalpa root..."?

It makes sense, but I don't think I've ever dug up any Catalpa roots and sniffed 'em.

Catalpa wood smells faintly of diesel fuel.