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| Hello!
With a neighbour I share a garden plot which is split in half with a chainlink fence. Along my side of the fence I'd like to do an espalier using a dwarf fruit tree (e.g. apple) or some kind of berry bush (e.g. redcurrant). A concern is the root system extending below the fence into the neighbours garden. I'm aware of modern plastic root barriers and what they can do, but I'd really like a solution which is a more natural material and readily available. I have access to some large pieces of flagstone. If placed vertically deep in the ground (2ft down), with minimum amount of gaps, can this offer some practical measure of a root barrier? And if the gaps are a concern, perhaps another row of flagstone just to cover the gaps. Do you think the flagstone would at least block most of the root system from growing into the neighbours' garden, perhaps for 10 years? I'd be happy with that. Over time, what would happen to the flagstone? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by wisconsitom 4/5 WI (My Page) on Wed, Aug 22, 12 at 17:48
| Hey Bongo. What I've seen a lot of is the tendency for roots to strongly colonize the interface between soil and rocks, sidewalks, curb and gutter, etc. So I think this will happen, primarily on your side of the rocks. 10 years.....? Yeah, it could give you that, especially if you double up over any "seams". Long-term, roots will happily advance beyond such a barrier. +oM |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Wed, Aug 22, 12 at 20:25
| HELLO !!! ... see .. mine is 3 times as loud.. lol .. so you are giving up the rest of the garden.. ON YOUR SIDE???? perhaps you are worried about your friend.. rather than your own garden.. and if the other side is where all the water and fert and compost is.. nothing will stop the tree from going over there ... as +om notes.. its just how long it will take ... and something tells me you might be an organic guy/gal... are you aware of the chemical regimen for good fruit production ... listen.. you do whatever makes you happy.. i am just trying to make you think outside the little box, your project already seems to be in ... ken |
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- Posted by wisconsitom 4/5 WI (My Page) on Wed, Aug 22, 12 at 21:05
| I get the sense-correct me if I'm wrong-that bongo's primary concern is an aesthetic one. I too would rather look at nice stone than icky plastic, although if plastic was the best bet, I might use that too! So now that I've said pretty much nothing, another material that could work beautifully in this capacity is "trim coil", the sheet aluminum that gutter and siding guys always have on hand to make odd pieces of flashing, fascia, etc. with. I happen to have a big roll of it which must be 14 inches wide. Not sure if aluminum toxicity could develop. Kind of doubt it would be significant, but I'm not sure. Stuff seems to be enameled. +oM |
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| ken_adrian: Oh the rest of my garden is getting plenty of attention, that's for sure. Does your post hint that maybe planting a dwarf tree or berry bush, with re-directed roots, may cause my own garden some root competition problems? I've though a bit about that. I think if sticking with a dwarf tree or a berry bush the root system shouldn't be a big deal compared to traditional worries about full size tree's. The next significant planting area like 5 feet away. Also the deflected roots will go downwards. Between the espalier base and the next planting area, I've always planned to have ground cover. I think this is the main concern for root competition, but I think sticking with strawberries as a ground cover should be okay. I already have strong strawberries covering the entire garden for 4 years now, and I see the roots only go down 2-3 inches. Thoughts anyone? My choice to not use a plastic root-barrier, instead some flagstone (which I already have access to) is based on a few things: My neighbour(s) have been systematically planting beans, tomatoes, etc every summer for years, and they use their gardens to the max. I don't want to infringe on their water and nutrient resources! |
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- Posted by lisanti07028 z6NJ (My Page) on Thu, Aug 23, 12 at 15:28
| I'm afraid that I don't understand your worry about the roots going awol. The roots kind of HAVE to go out in all directions to better anchor the tree, for one thing, and I'm sure that some of your neighbors' roots are coming over to your side of the fence. You don't say how thick the flagstone you plan to use is, but from personal experience, thick flagstones will sink, especially if they are on end; if you are planning to have them sticking up above ground level, you might want to think about bracing them from underneath somehow. |
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- Posted by wisconsitom 4/5 WI (My Page) on Thu, Aug 23, 12 at 17:58
| Hey bongo, I'd say just go ahead with your plan. No reason not to. +oM |
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| lisanti07028: The plant will be trained along a fence... so it will be supported by the fence and or posts that I put in. Another reason I don't want them to invade into the neighbours' plot is because they may dig into the roots when they plant their annual beans and stuff every year right up close to the fence. Cheers, |
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- Posted by wisconsitom 4/5 WI (My Page) on Sat, Aug 25, 12 at 16:49
| You know bongo, it seems to me you've pretty much thought of this from every angle. I'll just add that sure, it is likely that some roots would get dug up on neighbor's side-this still might happen with the stone in place-but that even here, I'd not worry excessively. I have the task of yearly installment of annuals and perennials under a bunch of trees in our downtown. We mangle a lot of roots when we do this and honestly, I can't recall a single tree ever showing any problems because of it. Of course, it probably helps that we then add nice compost, fertilizer and weekly waterings to the same root zone. The trees are only too happy to lap all that good stuff up. +oM |
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