Tree roots-can you help please?

Question

i have recentley contacted the council about a large tree on the road out side my house, there answer indicate that the problem stems from my small cherry blossom tree out side my house(which we are about to have taken down) and not theirs on the road side. They tell me that even though their tree is as tall as my house, its the the roots from the cherry blossom that are causeing the very large roots that are pulling up and damaging my drains and sewerage pipes. My insurance has now dealt with this problem but refuse to renew my insurance, they also tell me after inspection the roots are coming from the tree on the road, can anyone help, are cherry blossom roots bigger or not, or who can i go to for independent advise. Thanks.

Answer 1

A cherry tree will not have huge roots systems. The size of a trees root system is very simialr to the size of the abouve ground canopy of the tree. The branches and spread where it has leaves.
If you could see under the ground the roots would look much the same size as the top does.
Most times we never had problems with these small ornamental trees having a root system that would be large enough to tear up sewer pipes.
This would be done by much larger trees and ones that are fast growing or water seeking trees. We see Silver Maples that tear up the lines to get at water and it is a problem here. If they are in the sewer lines many people have to have the lines reamed out every year to clear the roots. There is a poision you can add to the drain that will kill the roots in the line and you can dump some of it down the drain. It can actually kill a portion of the tree. I have seen it happen.
See if you can get insurance from another company. Hopefully you will be able to. If this is a city tree owned by your city get one of thier inspectors out and see what they say. Here in our area our citys inspectors look things over and make a recomandation and sometimes they remove the tree. I would think that if it was causing sewer problems they would aggree to ok it for removal.
Good luck.

Answer 2

Cherry Tree Roots

Answer 3

Root depth can not be used to determine where the roots stemb from. Roots grow along the least path or resistance. Soil compaction in urban areas will likely force all roots to grow about the same level. Do not call your local tree company and ask for a free estimate. Call them and explain your situation and ask if they can help. A cutting of the root should be analyzed by experts and will give you an accurate answer.

Try doing a web search for International society of arboriculture ( I.S.A. ).
Make contact with them and ask where or how you can determine what tree the root cutting is from. There are many chapters of ISA throughout N.America.

A quick test you could do is to smell the fresh root cutting.
A cherry tree has a strong odor to it where as a maple tree has little odor.
Compare the smell of the root cutting from the problem area with a root cutting from your tree when you take it down.

Answer 4

Firstly, roots rarely break into sound drains. But they will mercillessly exploit and existin crack. The solution to this problem is not to remove trees, it is to repair the drains properly and ensure they are watertight.

It's quite possible that the problem is to do with your cherry. If the problem were disruption to your drive it would be probable - cherry roots are notorious for damaging hard surfaces. The best way to prove which tree is involved is to get samples of roots you find in the drain tested in a lab. But if the repair works been done it's probably too late for this.

You could also enlist the help of a competent arboricultural consultant, find a list at

http://www.trees.org.uk/consultants.php

If the insurance company are being a pain, find another one. Not all insureres are so narrow minded.

Answer 5

If you ring the tree with a hatchet ,they will have to remove it when it dies.The crown of the tree is supplied by the roots through the layer just under the bark.If this layer is severed all around,the tree will die.If the council can prove that you wilfully destroyed the tree,you may be liable for costs and perhaps a fine as well,so use your own discretion.The roots of a tree are usually equal in volume to the crown.

Answer 6

Go to a local tree nursery. They should be able to answer your questions. I would also take a small sample of each tree, especially the one that is not yours for identification. Also it may help for you to make a diagram of where each of the trees are in relation to the roots you are talking about. If you can get a tree specialist of your own to come out and look, that will probably be even better.

Answer 7

It definitely will not kill the tree, trees have a complete network of roots around it, the roots further from the tree become more important in dry weather when it has to reach further for water, still three or four roots wouldn't kill it, especially close to a watered lawn. Hope that helps you, good luck.

Answer 8

I not sure where the roots come from but Cherry Trees have roots that grow at a higher level than most trees and end up ripping up the area around the tree. It is probably that reason the council say its that trees roots damaging the drains.

Incidentally, if your property was built before 1937 and the drain is shared with your neighbour then it belongs to the water authority and is theirs to repair.

Answer 9

Start calling your local yard maintenance and landscapers the ones that don't charge you for estimates. But, If your a "do it yourself"er" get a spade (shovel) sharpen the edge and/or a chainsaw(carbide chair will run you approx $100 but it WILL slice through exposed roots) and start removing the roots along the pipes and drains. In Fla we have an 800 number to call before you dig, so your not cutting any phone lines & other underground utilities they'll come out an locate the utilities for free.

Answer 10

Try your local county extension agent for info on specific tree roots or a nearby University web site on horticulture or your state Dept. of Natural Resources. As for the insurance company every state has an office for insurance disputes...check your stateweb site. [usually at .gov]