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| I have a clump of three birch trees (not sure if paper or river birch) that were planted by my landscaper back in the spring of 2010. They were about 8-10 ft when planted and have since grown to about 18-20 ft in two years. I am concerned if the growth continues, the roots may find and exploit little cracks in the foundation or find my sewer line. If I prune it, will it contain the root system? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Seems fine to me. It is going to be lovely in a couple of years! |
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| So you don't think the root system is going to be a problem here? I read somewhere that a tree's root system is as wide as the height in order to support the canopy hence my thinking to prune it a bit to contain the roots. |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Tue, Oct 2, 12 at 14:02
| cutting roots.. only make more roots at the cut ... i think it would look better if you trimmed it up some... the house is too new to worry about sewer/septic.. i am sure you have sealed pvc ... not old fashioned clay tubes ... why in the world.. would you think the tree wants to get in your basement.. with the glorious lawn to live under ... the lawn is well watered .... and fed ... and that is what the tree wants.. so why would it go the other way ... trust me.. they arent stupid.. lol ... IMHO.. you need to worry about something else.. ken |
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- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Tue, Oct 2, 12 at 14:07
| I read somewhere that a tree's root system is as wide as the height in order to support the canopy hence my thinking to prune it a bit to contain the roots. Doesn't work that way :-) Even cutting the tree in half will not curtail the root spread much, if at all. And the root system can extend far beyond the height as well, depending on species, soils and moisture conditions. If your foundation is structurally sound you really don't have much to worry about with regards to root issues. And if it's not, that presents another set of worries quite distinct from the tree! Same with the sewer pipes. With the exception of a few different tree species, most tree roots will not seek out or attempt to disrupt underground pipes and particularly if the pipes are in good repair. If you DO have concerns about the stability of the foundation, you could use something like a root barrier to prevent any potential damage. |
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| Thanks for the responses everyone, you've certainly made me feel better about this! I still however, want to trim it a bit for aesthetic reasons. For example, I want to prune some of the branches at the base to expose the bark on the trunks a little more. Also the side that's facing the back yard has branches that are longer than in the front, probably because that's the east facing sun that gets the most sun, so I want to prune that to match the front. And finally, I like the height where it is now so want to trim some at the top as well. It is my understanding that you cut after the branch collar and there's no need to seal the 'wound'? I live in MA but I am not sure if we have birch borer in this area. Also, is the best time to prune in the dead of winter (Jan-Mar) or can I prune after it sheds the leaves (probably November)? Thanks again. |
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- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Tue, Oct 2, 12 at 16:09
| When you prune is best determined by the type of birch - if a river birch (Betula nigra), they are quite resistant to BBB and are best pruned in late spring/early summer to reduce sapping. Paper birch (Betula papyrifera) is prone to BBB and shouldn't be pruned when these creatures are active (May-Aug). It could still bleed (sap) alot but generally this is not a huge concern to the tree itself - you just don't want it happening when the BBB's are present. Pruning to expose the trunk is very reasonable but I'm going to take issue with routine pruning of the top to keep the size where it is now. This is not a smart course of action for a tree that wants to grow double that size, perhaps more. It's commonly called "topping" and you can find all sorts of extremely credible sources and reasons NOT to do so. But with birches in particular, where pruning is recommended to be kept at a minimum, this is really opening up the situation for a lot of work and a lot of potential problems. |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Tue, Oct 2, 12 at 17:43
| if you want specific advice.. snap some pix after the leaves fall .. and post a pic of a bare tree.. and we can discuss which branches should come off ... in a new post and if you want an ID.. then snap some pix of the bark.. and some leaves.. and post them .. in a new post .. ken |
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| If that's all the bigger a tree you wanted there then...well....oops. Take it out and get something appropriate for the spot and your desired look and size. |
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- Posted by wisconsitom 4/5 WI (My Page) on Tue, Oct 2, 12 at 22:32
| Yours is a tall house. Tall houses accomodate tallish plants well. At least from a design standpoint, that tree is not too tall nor will it ever be. Now in the interest of completeness, removing lots of foliage can certainly impact the root system downward. But you have no real reason to want for this to happen. As has been pointed out, if tree roots are able to invade your sewer/water pipes or your foundation, the pipes and/or foundation need replacement and/or repair. And the birch just is not likely to do any of this anyway. Now put a silver maple in that spot......you might well have such issues. +oM |
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