robinia pseudoacacia close the property

[vesna]

Hi,

Thank you all again for your very helpful advice to my previous query.

I was wondering what is your opinion on the tree surgeon’s  suggestion regarding  another tree- a very mature robinia pseudoacacia  in my neighbours’ garden but very close to my property (ab 4ft).  Both me and my neighbour would like to fell the tree (soft clay soil so shrinkage cause cracks to the building, it blocks light, leaves block drains, roots cause raising of patio slabs, etc ) but I am worried about potential land heave and effect on my extension.  The extension was built in c 1970 (not sure but was told by the previous owners) and the foundations are non-existent (30 cm of rubble).  The tree surgeon has suggested cutting the tree in stages and leaving ab 1 m of trunk for the time being. He claims that the roots of the tree will survive this but the tree will not be needing a lot of water and the trunk could be removed later. Will we not get a lot of suckers? What would you suggest? The tree was pollarded three years ago and the canopy is very thick now so we have even more leaves.

Thanks again.

 

[JSN]

19 minutes ago, Mark J said:

Fix the extension: Perfect solution.
If the tree predates the build, then someone should have thought about it.

 

 

If your going to the trouble of fixing the building you may as well remove the tree for all the trouble it’s causing. At least that way it’s a permanent fix.  

Regardless of soil type and foundation depth - If the extension predates the tree then heave is not an issue. 

Who knows - felling may even fix the subsidence issues with no building work required. ?

[Joe Newton]

33 minutes ago, Mark J said:

Fix the extension: Perfect solution.
If the tree predates the build, then someone should have thought about it.

 

 

Never understood this attitude. You never taken a tree down after a house was built nearby?

 

It's a butchered acacia, just before we start mourning it

[Mark J]

40 minutes ago, Joe Newton said:

Never understood this attitude. You never taken a tree down after a house was built nearby?

 

It's a butchered acacia, just before we start mourning it

My point was that just about any vegetation growing next to a building will dessicate the soil beyond 300mm, even grass can delve 1500mm deep. So tree or no tree, there's likely to be an ongoing saga.

Edited November 26, 2019 by Mark J

[Dan Maynard]

I doubt it predates the extension, pretty fast growing tree could be 40 years old.

I'd be inclined to think that is so close there will be problems down the line even if you keep trimming it, plant another tree down the garden and then take it out once the replacement is established.

[neiln]

1. the tree is common

2. the tree is ugly

3. the tree is a problem

4. the tree is decent firewood

 

isn't the way to proceed obvious?

 

 

[Mick Dempsey]

Lots of conflicting advice for the OP.

 

FTR mine is take it out in one go, poison the stump, ensure that gutters and drains are running clear.

[Chris at eden]

18 hours ago, Mark Bolam said:

It's bullshit Mick, makes no difference at all.

I'm not sure how anyone ever thought that it made any sense at all.  if you remove the tree the soil will recover if there is a persistent moisture deficit.  If you remove it in stages it will recover gradually but still to the same level.  Hence the same damage.    

[Chris at eden]

First set of building regs came out in the 1960's.  Not sure what the minimum foundation depth would be at that time but I don't think it would be 300mm, that sounds more like 1860's. 

 

 

[Chris at eden]

14 hours ago, Mark J said:

My point was that just about any vegetation growing next to a building will dessicate the soil beyond 300mm, even grass can delve 1500mm deep. So tree or no tree, there's likely to be an ongoing saga.

Soils can desiccate to 500mm with no vegetation present at all, just from the drying action of the sun.  If you really do have 300mm foundations then it may also be prone to settlement so may not be subsidence at all.  It would be worth doing some monitoring to find out.    

[vesna]

Hi All,

 

Thanks again for all you  suggestions. I am not worried about subsidence (cracks have been appearing and closing since I bought the property years ago so can live with them) but am concerned about heave if I remove it  completely. If I radically cut the trunk (let’s say remove ½ of it), will the tree survive?