Thread: Trees, anyone?

Here's a poser, can't post pics just yet as they're in pdf format, but will be taking some fresh ones over the next few days.

The roots of a tree on a friend's property seem to be aiming at the house, and has raised the leading edge of the access path by about 5" in about 6 years. The path itself has done well not to crack, but will if this is not addressed pronto.

Having checked the other side of its fence, the tree doesn't appear to be interested in the road. Would like to know why, though that's irrelevant to the immediate problem.

Can't get rid of it as it provides a lot of shade, and it would also mean incurring exes to rip up what's otherwise a well laid path and the tree, to replace it with a less intrusive one that has similar foliage.

Could dig down to the roots between the path and the tree, then chop off the troublesome roots leaving the rest of the tree and its roots intact, but that might kill the tree and still doesn't resolve the problem as the lopped roots are already under the path.

Any ideas?

Jabs, the accepted wisdom is the spread of roots will eventually match the canopy so your concern should be interference with the house structure. If this isn't going to happen then perhaps leave the path until it fractures and then rebuild taking account of the roots.

That or ring the fuker with copper nails.

What kind of tree is it?

Once you know that, you can find out what kind of root system it has (taproot or fibrous).

If it's taproot and you cut it, you'll probably kill the tree. If it's fibrous, maybe not.

Don't know, will be back with some pics.

Originally Posted by NamPikToot

spread of roots will eventually match the canopy

No expert but explains why the wife has all our trees cut way back every year. Grows back fast for shade but so far no wandering roots.

Thing is with most western houses built on a plinth foundation and concrete base roots can be a problem, but if you have a house on concrete posts with pads buried i feel sure the roots would not interfere unless the tree is very close as the roots will find the path of least resistance between the pads.

Just let the tree be...

Hug the tree. Trees need to feel loved.

Originally Posted by Neverna

What kind of tree is it?

Once you know that, you can find out what kind of root system it has (taproot or fibrous).

If it's taproot and you cut it, you'll probably kill the tree. If it's fibrous, maybe not.

Probably a Bodhi Tree.
....and he wants to take ax or poison to it.

Our modestly sized place has been modelled to fit in with the trees.

I'm looking at a huge one about four feet to my left right now.

It costs a ridiculous amount of money to keep it to a height that we can live with, considering it takes a bunch of clearly well oiled oiks about 20 minutes to chop it back.

I complained about this a couple of years ago and my wife replied:

"They are country people. They have machetes"



Really, what else can you do? It's just a matter of recognising the resident's rights.

Originally Posted by jabir

can't post pics just yet as they're in pdf format

If you download the free Irfanview you can save the pdf in jpg or vice versa. Many other useful features of the small program I have been using over 20 years.

(As started on the useful advice of Wanda Sloan she publicized every Wednesday in Bangkok Post Database many years ago - where is she now?)

Post 6 is a good one.

Originally Posted by jabir

The roots of a tree on a friend's property seem to be aiming at the house, and has raised the leading edge of the access path by about 5" in about 6 years. The path itself has done well not to crack

Get an excavator in. Dig a trench as close to the tree but on your side. Every time the excavator cuts through a root you paint it, tree side, with Glysophate straight away. The tree is as good as dead. Failure that follow the video.

Originally Posted by cyrille

Our modestly sized place has been modelled to fit in with the trees.

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

The tree is as good as dead.

Yeah, I get the impression that isn't the ideal thread scenario.

^^

How very amusing.



Got anything actually worth adding?

Originally Posted by jabir

can't post pics just yet as they're in pdf format

Open the PDF file and take a screenshot of the pics you want to show then post the cropped screenshots.

Originally Posted by OhOh

It maybe a little ornate and high

Do you mean 'As gay as Ru Paul playing Cinderella'?

Originally Posted by OhOh

Think of all the ooh and ahhs you'll get

^

More the arching of the steps was a little extreme. But one has to keep one's patrons satisfied and eager for more.

Originally Posted by cyrille

I get the impression that isn't the ideal thread scenario.

But in my book it is. I've lost count of the number of times, in the past, I've had to dig up drain pipes, storm and foul, that the tree roots invaded. Willow being the worse. Trees are okay in an open area where they have room to grow but in close proximity to a structure etc is plainly stupid.

Originally Posted by Neverna

Open the PDF file and take a screenshot of the pics you want to show then post the cropped screenshots.

You can also get the same result with the Snipping Tool - just take a 'snip' of the PDF and it saves as a JPG.

This works for any snip - text, spreadsheet section, screen shot, paused video - all snips save as JPG.

It's a useful tool.

^ Have you ever tried Greenshot? Its a free download and you can edit / annotate screen shots before saving. We use it at work for data examples all the time.

Originally Posted by Klondyke

If you download the free Irfanview you can save the pdf in jpg or vice versa. Many other useful features of the small program I have been using over 20 years.

(As started on the useful advice of Wanda Sloan she publicized every Wednesday in Bangkok Post Database many years ago - where is she now?)

Thanks, will download it and keep for future use, now ok got jpg.