Will my plan hurt the crabapple tree?

[Trinity Honoria]

I plan to make 'deck segments" to place under an older crab apple tree... first put down the environmental cloth so water goes through, but weeds not come through... then put the deck sections on blocks, so they're portable...

will this create a hardship for the tree?

and yes, I'm a homeowner who is totally challenged... they should make you take an aptitude test before you're allowed to purchase property... I appreciate your patience with me...

 

[begleytree]

Biggest problem I forsee is fruit falling all over the deck.
-Ralph

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

It sounds like your plan is ok.
I personally don't like the landscape fabric because it prevents organic matter, that normally falls to the ground and decomposes to feed the tree, from getting to the ground. Instead, it piles up on the fabric and in a few years becomes the perfect growing environment for, you guessed it, weeds!
You said your deck is designed to be portable, so this may solve any long term problems with weeds, but the tree won't get the benefits of that naturally occurring compost. Will there be a noticeable decline in the tree? Probably not. Building on top of the soil is much better than digging into the roots!

 

[Trinity Honoria]

clarity?

Mike!
any ideas how to minimize weeds coming through the deck? i'm not set on the fabric, just a lazy woman's way to minimize keeping the deck pleasant... the deck will not surround the tree, perhaps be around 1/3 of the trunk...

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

With onlt 1/3 covered I wouldn't sweat it, but I have seen the fabric stapled to the under side of the deck, which leaves room for natural processes underneth the deck, yet blocks weeds if they do get that high. Remember, once the shade of the deck is there, the weeds won't do as well.
Another thing that might help is to build the deck with limited spacing between the boards, less light, neater appearance, and less stuff piling up on the fabric stapled to the bottom.

 

[Trinity Honoria]

thanks!

Mike!
thanks for the ideas...

 

[BrianL]

With onlt 1/3 covered I wouldn't sweat it, but I have seen the fabric stapled to the under side of the deck, which leaves room for natural processes underneth the deck, yet blocks weeds if they do get that high. Remember, once the shade of the deck is there, the weeds won't do as well.
Another thing that might help is to build the deck with limited spacing between the boards, less light, neater appearance, and less stuff piling up on the fabric stapled to the bottom.

Do not staple the fabric underneath the deck- doing so will be asking for rot issues as organic matter piles up in the spacing between boards.

You might better off thickly mulching the area underneath the deck or, like somebody mentioned, put the decing at almost ground level.

 

[treesurgeon]

put some #1 round stone under the deck. this will help with moisture and slow growth of weeds. any weeds that grow up just spray them with round-up. my deck is 7' from my apple tree and its so messy that i shake the fruit off around mid to end july so the mess is over faster. and i will start spraying it this fall so that its healthier and less messy. i get fungus (rust) on the leaves every year that causes them to drop all season.

 

[Trinity Honoria]

Treesurgeon-- question...

the reason i was resisting putting rock is this deck is going to be moved from time to time (like when i might be adding an addtion to the house)... i was trying to avoid rock so it doesn't 'travel' into the grass area... would mulch accomplish the same thing or not? (i can hear a collective groan-- yes, i am challenged)...

 

[treesurgeon]

forget the mulch. it may stink and mold because of the air circulation issue. a few inches of rock will do just fine. and if your worried about the rock making a mess on the lawn just put mulch bed around the deck.