cutting tree roots?

[Czlowiek Drzewo]

Here's the prob.

 

One of my good costumers has a semi-mature sitka spruce, she really like the tree and doesn't want removed. the trees roots are growing slightly under her neighbours slabs and pushing them up. the neighbour is wanting to get new slabbing done and cut away about 3 ft of roots to do this.

 

I told her its prob best to remove it as it will need to come down at some point being only 25t from property but she is keen on keeping it and cutting some of the roots.

 

Q - Though its is not recommended and this species is shallow rooted, is it ok to remove some roots? and what affect will this have? what time of year is best to do so?

 

Not something i want to do..but you got to keep them happy.

[Mesterh]

I doubt anyone will answer that with any certainty tbh.

 

I do know for fact well ime, whic hboviously the same thing! That when you sever roots on one side the tree is very, very prone to wind throw and going the other way.

 

Ive seen quite a few do this due to fencing, walling, utility work etc, plus when the roots are hard up against good foundations and cant anchor.

[janey]

Ah, root pruning... That would be that thing we all know to be BAD practice but we still do anyway

 

What's the height of the tree, it's DBH, the diam' of the roots to be cut and their distance from the tree base?

 

And have you thought of installing a root barrier at the same time to help prevent (in theory at least) a reccurance of the problem with the slabs?

[Fungus]

That when you sever roots on one side the tree is very, very prone to wind throw and going the other way. Ive seen quite a few do this due to fencing, walling, utility work etc.

 

Apart from this effect, the severed roots will loose their protection against parasites by antibiotics and fungicides producing mycorrhizal symbionts, which makes them f.i. vulnerable for infection with rhizomorphs of parasitic Armillaria species, which can detect damaged roots by the growing hormones they secrete over a distance of up to one metre.

[Czlowiek Drzewo]

great advice so far. keep it coming!

 

tree is 40ft and roots stretch out about 15ft. small / med size sitka.

[nepia]

Any chance of the neighbour being persuaded to create a raised area of hardstanding? There could be stepped, shaped or sloped edges to it; a creative landscaper could come up with something pleasing to the eye I'm sure.