Tree root danger? ? ?
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Tree root danger? ? ? Ray 08-01-2008
Posted by paghat on August 1, 2008, 2:35 pm
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> We have a spruce (Picea A. Dietr.) or fir tree which came up on its own, about 10 inches from
> the foundation of our house. At first it seemed to be just a shrub, but it's
> now grown into a tree about 30 feet high.
>
> We like the tree, but we're concerned that the root system may endanger the
> foundation, much the way that tree roots sometimes cause sidewalks to buckle
> up.
>
> Is this a danger?


Mature spruce (Picea A. Dietr.) has a circular root-width of 25 feet round. Yours sounds
mature at 30 feet height, so I'm guessing it has had roots all overt the
side of the foundation for a long, long while. If it hasn't done any harm
yet, its roots likely already decided not to develop in the "dry"
direction through or under a foundation. Ten inches is damnably close to a
house, though, and even I'm surprised that the tree hasn't gotten big
enough around to press on the eaves.

-paghat the ratgirl
--
visit my temperate gardening website:
http://www.paghat.com
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http://www.weirdwildrealm.com

Posted by John McGaw on August 1, 2008, 8:21 pm
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 Ray wrote:
> We have a spruce or fir tree which came up on its own, about 10 inches
> from the foundation of our house. At first it seemed to be just a shrub,
> but it's now grown into a tree about 30 feet high.
>
> We like the tree, but we're concerned that the root system may endanger
> the foundation, much the way that tree roots sometimes cause sidewalks
> to buckle up.
>
> Is this a danger?

I would have to say that having _any_ 30-foot tree 10 inches form the house
is a very bad idea unless you are living in a tree house and that is your
support.

--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]
http://johnmcgaw.com

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