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ghostlyvision

Sayonara, Sweetgum...

ghostlyvision
9 years ago

...It was nice knowing ya. Well, not the spikey balls so much, but your shade from the firey Texas sun was welcome, and your Fall color in such a southerly location was stunning, you were the matriarch of the street.

(far left, sorry for not having a better viewpoint)
{{gwi:457600}}

But bid you adieu we must do, as the year after we bought this home, the only one we're ever likely to own, we found your roots were crushing, invading and blocking the sanitary line.

We had that replaced, doing all we could to preserve your life and lovliness during the ordeal, but just 3 short years later we were again faced with the same situation, your thirst could not be quenched by Mother Nature and lawn waterings, you lusted for more, sought it out and crushed the new line in short order. So with much deliberation and heavy heart, you were gently and carefully laid to rest.

{{gwi:457601}}

We won't leave what's left of you standing as statuary or carved into something artistic, the rest of you will be taken as kindly as the first so all your parts will be laid to rest together (and we can lay another sanitary line without your feeders crowding the area).

{{gwi:457602}}

We shall miss your proud stance, your strong character, and stunning colors, but can't go for 'third time's the charm' on a sanitary line, we'd lose our own sanity.

Good bye Sweetgum, we were proud to know you.

Comments (19)

  • j0nd03
    9 years ago

    Farewell

    ;_;7

  • kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
    9 years ago

    OMG....I have 2!
    Tree man is coming tomorrow and when he gave estimate for thinning other trees, said these were problematic. YIKES!!
    Lovely tribute to a trouble maker!!!
    ;-)
    Kristi

  • j0nd03
    9 years ago

    Oh, GV, I tried to email you about your blackgum seeds. I have them picked and ready to be sent but I need your address again. I deleted our previous emails by accident! Just use the email with my GW account on my user page if you still want them :)

    Sooooooooo sorry you had to lose that shade tree that was no doubt an absolute piece of heaven down there in the Texas heat. Are you considering any type of replacement or are you going to leave things be because of the sanitation line location?

  • ghostlyvision
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Okay Jon, I'll mail you and yes, i'd love to try some blackgum seeds, maybe it'll help with the mourning process. ;) I will miss that deep shade, but maybe the St. Augustine will do better in the center of the yard now (well, once new sod is laid after the pipe work is done lol), it doesn't care for that much shade.

    Kristi - everytime we had ours trimmed (or the roots messed with during the first sanitary line replacement) it grew a lot of root sprouts, they were popping up everywhere the whole next year. The best of luck to you with yours, hope they aren't near plumbing lines or a septic system, pernicious roots they have.

  • Embothrium
    9 years ago

    The tree back by the blue car in the first shot is/was over-pruned, there should have been more small branches farther down. When you cut on a more-than-juvenile tree and it sprouts a bunch of new shoots in response you have cut too much off.

    Apart from that sweet-gum is a tall yet unusually short-lived tree with roots that are problematic in confined or intimate areas and a tendency to break under snow loads. Not related and doesn't look like one but to an extent it is kind of like a poplar in character, with a certain similarity of limitations.

  • hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
    9 years ago

    It gave you shade from fiery heat, but it is also nice to be able to flush the toilet. Hopefully you can find a tree to give you shade without causing so many problems.

    Here the guy two houses down had the same problem with a Ficus benjamina. He took the Ficus out and got his sanitary line replaced, but guess what he planted as a replacement? Not one but two sweet-gums.

  • ghostlyvision
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Oh that poor, uninformed fellow, hoovb. I have three ficus but they are all kept in pots.

    Bboy, the other tree is an ash, I don't believe we've had any of the trunk limbs removed from it, only the canopy trimmed (afaik). As you can see from the trunk of the sweetgum, the original owners did have plenty of limbs removed at one time or another. The ash only gets a root sprout or two near or on the trunk every great once in a while, it's not been a problem in that regard.

    I don't think I can broach putting in another tree in the front yard with the mister, he won't be in the mood to discuss anything like that for a little while, I suppose.

    The trunk has just finished being ground down, they're shovelling mulch on the front bed now (hopefully not too thickly, I do have a wheelbarrow and beds ringing the backyard fence that could use some though lol).

  • Embothrium
    9 years ago

    Since it was large-growing trees rather close together for long-term development you may be able to get by with what you have now.

  • ghostlyvision
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I'm hoping so bboy, I only noticed this afternoon that the next door neighbor's ash (only tree in their yard) is taller than ours so hopefully now that ours has no more competition it'll put on more height and its canopy will spread further.

  • mikebotann
    9 years ago

    I thought the newer sewer lines weren't supposed to leak. That would be the only way the roots would be a problem as far as I know. How deep is it?
    Mike

  • terrene
    9 years ago

    Did you try copper sulfate in or around your sewer lines? I wonder if that might have helped. I use it to control Silver maples roots in my front septic system.

  • mikebotann
    9 years ago

    I wonder what copper sulphate does to the biology of your tank and drain field?
    Seems like cutting down the Silver Maple might be a good option.

    Mike

  • ghostlyvision
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    The new pipes aren't supposed to leak, we were assured lol but the plumber said that even though residential pipe was laid (he gave a name or number for the type of pipe but I can't recall, it's 4" and aqua color) he said it had some give to it and the roots crushed and separated it and allowed them to enter and cause the blockage (maybe there was a joint there, it's under the sidewalk and the ground is slightly lower on the other side).

    He said the stuff they're using now - which oddly the clean-out valve's cap is made of (and is white) is much firmer, so he used it to demonstrate the difference to me that it's stronger and has no give at all.

    I did see the camera's view of the inside at the blockage and the hole the other plumber made in it with the snake, but the camera couldn't get past that to see any farther. All I know for sure is this is getting mighty expensive and the HOA is gonna be none too happy to see our yard torn up twice in 3 years. Oh well.

  • lou_spicewood_tx
    9 years ago

    Sucks to lose that shade in Texas... It is much needed and thankfully Montezuma cypress trees are growing fast and might give us shade rather sooner than later and they are not anywhere over the sewer line... (landscapers for builder tend to plant trees mostly Live Oak trees directly over it so I don't know what would happen in the long run and I got rid of it just in case).

    I'm hoping you're planning on planting 'Floratam' St Augustine in the sunny area in the front yard. Much more drought and heat hardy cultivar than others.

  • terrene
    9 years ago

    From what I've read, copper sulfate doesn't affect the functioning of the septic tank. You use it about once a year, putting it in the toilet closest to the tank for several days in a row and let it sit overnight. It kills back the roots, but only so far, and doesn't affect the overall health of the tree.

    Yeah, planting a Silver maple 15 feet off the SW corner of the house and 15 feet from the septic tank was not the previous owner's finest hour, some 50 years ago. This tree is a real pain, and I LIKE silver maples. If I cut it down there would be no shade at the hottest corner of the house.

    I've already spent thousands removing Norway maples, and frankly I'd rather remove the huge Pin Oak hulking over the SE corner, or the huge ash that's preventing me from having actual FULL SUN in my back garden. I just really hesitate at cutting down healthy native trees (didn't have no qualms whatsoever removing Acer platanoides...)

  • ghostlyvision
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I'd like to use Floratam Lou, no clue where to find it.

    Sanitary line replacement begins tomorrow. ::

  • ghostlyvision
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    The pipe work was finished in one day, all hand dug so as not to disturb the ash tree roots or compact the soil since we have to resod. I can tell you what the problem with the 3 year old pipe was but I'll get too teary-eyed to type anymore (hint: it wasn't the tree that was felled). :(

    Hub has decided to resod the entire yard and was hoping to use something besides St. Augustine, but after going through the pros and cons of different turf grasses that will grow down here it looks like it will be St. Augustine after all, the only question is variety.

    Lou - what do you think about Palmetto? The yard is north facing and at least half is umbrella'ed by the ash canopy, think it would do better than Floratam?

  • j0nd03
    9 years ago

    The only comfort I can try to give you is that the sweetgum would have had to have been removed down the road regardless and it would have been larger so more $$$

    I have your seeds in an envelope with postage. I promise I will mail out on Monday! I actually picked some more seed from a blackgum close to my house. So now you have 4-5 dozen seed at least haha

  • ghostlyvision
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    LOL thanks so much Jon, maybe by the time one of them is ready for planting I can convince hub it won't do any damage up front. :)

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