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Re: Tree roots

Hi Jim:

You have my sympathies! I've had problems with invading tree roots
(not willow) in the past and know how frustrating it can be. My
situation was complicated by the fact that the trees weren't on my
property, so the removal (of the tree) option was not available -- I
wound up having to move my garden beds! Tree feeder roots tend to
live in the top 12 - 18" of the soil, and they seek out water and
nutrients just like any other plant -- if your garden beds are the
most hospitable area around, the roots are going to migrate there.

The only way I know of to eliminate the problem entirely is to
eliminate the tree. If this isn't an option and you can't move the
garden, you can try using a sharp spade to sever the roots before
they enter the garden beds -- you may have to repeat this procedure
several times a season to see good results, and please be aware that
it may also do serious harm to the tree, depending on the size of the
garden area. If you want to try root-pruning *and* avoid harming the
tree as much as possible, you could try laying down several inches of
organic mulch over the rest of the root-area of the tree and hope
that the feeder roots will be drawn away from your garden beds. I
don't know for sure that this would work, but it seems logical and if
I were having the problem again, I'd try it! Hope this helps.

Happy trails.....

     Sue Drake
     Southeastern WI -- USDA zone 4b/5a
... An immaculate house is the sign of a mis-spent life ...
----------
On Monday, April 28, 1997 4:44 PM, you wrote:
>
> Hi all; has anyone any experience with tree roots getting into
their
> raised gardens. I seem to have attracted a mass of them into one of
my
> raised beds, I think they belong to some willows which live on the
river
> bank some 50 yards away. Any suggestions about getting ris of them
and
> keeping them away. I have almost reconciled myself to abandoning
that
> particular bed, but not too willingly as there has been a lot of
blood,
> sweat & tears gone into establishing it. Hope someone has some
brilliant
> idea !
> --
> Jim Greene,

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