Can roots be redirected/blocked/removed?

NebClimber · Sep 2, 2003

A homeowner asked me today if the exposed roots of his maple tree could be removed. There are two large (looks like about 8" diameter) roots running partially above ground, each at least 12' long (stop at about the dripline). He runs over them with his lawnmover when mowing his yard. He wants them removed or reduced (planed down). I told him this couldn't be done w/o damage to the tree. Any way to remove/reduce w/o substantial damage to tree? And why are these roots so exposed?

Kneejerk Bombas · Sep 2, 2003

The short answer is no.
Have you ever grown a garden?
If you have, would you start with a hard clay soil?
Of course not, so why is it so hard to understand, that <B>all</b> plants like soft, rich, organic soils?
When a root hits a hard object, it must go over, under, or around that object.
The soil your tree roots are hitting must be hard. Cuttting them off will not help the tree, will it?
If you grow a tomato plant, and it does not do well, will hitting it with a baseball bat help?

MasterBlaster · Sep 3, 2003

I've advised people with that problem to cover the roots with soil - just don't pile the dirt against the trunk.

Was I giving good advice?

MasterBlaster · Sep 3, 2003

Hey NebClimber! Has our climbing advice helped ya any?

SilverBlue · Sep 3, 2003

Roots are like tree limbs only developed to function underground. Why wouldn't a tree grow a new root if one were damaged/removed? Isn't this a survival mechanism?

MasterBlaster · Sep 3, 2003

SB, I don't think a tree would ever grow/recover from the removal of large root - maybe the smaller ones!

Stumper · Sep 3, 2003

Silverblue, Of course the tree will try to develop new roots to replace a cut/damaged one. However, to continue your analogy, what happens when you cut off a major limb in the crown? It doesn't just grow a new major limb. The hole is filled with small growth from the remaining limbs over time. Cut off all the major limbs and what happens? Some species just die, others put on a flush of watersprouts. It takes several years before the height and spread of the crown is back to "normal". Some trees have many primary branches and some only a few. Some trees have many major roots and some only a few. The problem with cutting primary roots (besides wounding etc) is that we cannot SEE the whole root ball. Cut 2 big roots on a tree that had 7 well distributed majors and it may be just fine-see you can cut roots! But the next tree that seems similar may only have 3 primaries. Cut 2 of those and you may be in a world of hurt!