Digging throu tree roots, is there an easy way?

[drinksloe]

I was just wondering is there an easy way to dig throu some tree roots?

 

Unfortunately there is no other way I have an old sewerage pipe to move and a couple of electricity cables, they've probably only been in the ground about 30 yrs but its amazing how the tree roots have grown over them. The pipes/cable aren't massively deep so really right in the root zone.

 

I want to cause as little damage as possible to the trees, I could just about get my digger into to area but i'm worried about the damage that would cause but even digging by hand won't be an awful lot better.

I've just had a wee go there with my pressure washer which sort of works to a degree, but its stripping the outer layer of the roots esp the finer 1's.

Will that cause much damage to them?

[Mick Dempsey]

Give us what tree it is, proximity to the pipe etc, a photo would be good.

[matelot]

air pick?

 

it's basically a metal pipe connected to a compressor.

[aspenarb]

You could impact bore under the roots if you dont want to disturb them, Grundomat moles will do both the service cables and soil pipe. Or if you want a machine to slice through the roots rather than rip them out you could use a chain trencher.

 

Bob

 

[drinksloe]

It's actually a small stand of mibee 10-15 mid aged? hardwoods (roughly 12" dbh plus, oaks, beech or sycamore)

 

The sewerage pipe runs along 1 side but runs almost directly under 1 beech, while the electric cables run throu the middle of the small stand but I'm hoping not very deep. but about 30m long

 

Aye I have goggled air spades/picks but nothing local to me, for hiring and quite a lot of money to buy.

 

That's wot gave me the idea of the pressure washer which is sort of working to a degree but still taking the surface coating/skin off the roots

[Mick Dempsey]

Sounds like the beech will have to go.

 

Will they fall on anything? If the answer is yes take it out, and get the digger in,  if no get the digger in and if they die they die.

 

(or Bob's machine above)

 

 

Edited August 2, 2017 by Mick Dempsey

[aspenarb]

8 minutes ago, drinksloe said:

It's actually a small stand of mibee 10-15 mid aged? hardwoods (roughly 12" dbh plus, oaks, beech or sycamore)

 

The sewerage pipe runs along 1 side but runs almost directly under 1 beech, while the electric cables run throu the middle of the small stand but I'm hoping not very deep. but about 30m long

 

Aye I have goggled air spades/picks but nothing local to me, for hiring and quite a lot of money to buy.

 

That's wot gave me the idea of the pressure washer which is sort of working to a degree but still taking the surface coating/skin off the roots

If you are serious about saving the trees just get the new services impact bored in,  they  go along under the roots and wont disturb anything. Ours have duct pulling attachments on the back and will pull in pvc pipes as they go along. 30mts is not an issue, you will only need a hole each end of the run.

 

Bob

 

The small one, 50mm with duct pulling attachment.

 

[eggsarascal]

I'm with Bob, leave the old services where they are and put new runs in.

 

if re-routing the power cables will be a problem sever them either side of the trees and 'patch in' a length of cable to rejoin using Resin joints.

[Daniël Bos]

I was pleasantly surprised by how easy and cheap an impact mole was.

127 britbucks for the week, including the large road tow compressor, delivery and collection from my local jewsons.

[Mick Dempsey]

Every days a learning day!