Pine Tree Question

 Hi everyone - I am planning on putting in a brick patio in my backyard
and would like to put it next to a large pine tree (50 feet tall).  My
question is this - wince I need to dig down 6 - 8 inches to lay the
foundational aggregate and the resulting brick patio literally right
next to the tree, will I cause any permanent damage to the tree (or
even kill it), by removing any roots within those 6 - 8"?

Thanks!

 
Yes, you will cause damage to the tree.  Worse case scenario would be die
back from either missing roots, or from a pathogen interring the tree from
the root damage.  Typically, die back could occur within 5 years after such
types of construction, you get past that period of time, and you should be
alright.

 

I agree with Don Staples.  Oaks in my area take 5 years at least for healthy
ones to start with.  Tulip poplar trees forget it they are a goner.
I dug out my parents turf around a J. maple and placed fresh chips down and
it took over 13 years for the tree to stop producing leaves.  I will place a
cross section under scope and see when decline started.  Any way I agree
with Don.  Pines in southern Louisiana took 9 years.  We were doing an
autopsy on pines that became symplastless and bark beetles were present.  It
turned out when we took a closer look that the decline started 9 years
before our autopsy and that was when the drive way was put in.  So the bark
beetles were secondary agents and not the cause.  It took at least 8 years
for the trees to become symplastless and stop producing needles.  They were
healthy until the drive way went in.  It was kind of interesting because at
that time I offered $200.00 to anyone who could provide a sample that showed
that bark beetles were the primary cause of a tree becoming symplastless.
For those who would like to know what I mean when I say symplastless:
http://www.treedictionary.com/DICT2003/S/symplastless.html

--
Sincerely,
John A. Keslick, Jr.
Consulting Forester & Tree Expert
http://home.ccil.org/~treeman
and  www.treedictionary.com
Beware of so-called tree experts who do not understand tree biology.
Storms, fires, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions keep reminding us
that we are not the boss.

 Even if it doesn't damage the tree, the tree roots will likely damage your
patio. Ever see what happens when you plant a tree right next to a sidewalk?
Where I live, some genious came along and planted these big trees along the
sidewalks (or maybe the put the sidewalk next to the trees?) and now the
sidewalks are so badly buckled, they are dangerous to walk on.

Removing the roots won't stop this, they grow back. I would not put any type
of cement or brick work next a tree.

 On Fri, 7 Mar 2008 09:56:40 -0800 (PST),


Possibly.  To keep a tree healthy, best to leave it alone.