Tree growing v v close to house

S

Setanta12

Registered User
Messages
1,193
Young tree about 10 foot tall but growing within two feet of house.

Is there any way to restrict/permanently stunt its growth, or must we get rid of it ?

(I assume overwhelming opinion is future problems with roots will mean we need to take action of some kind...)
 
What type of tree is it ie oak, ash etc. You then Google that and see what information you get on its root system and if the root system is safe to have that close to the house you could look into pruning it. You could also check with your garden centre and see what advise they have to offer. Bring a leaf or a photograph or both with you if you are not sure of the variety of the tree. I have to say two feet is very close for a tree that is now 10 foot tall.
 
That's too close for comfort. I remember reading somewhere that as a rule of thumb, tree roots are half its height, and so it's already trouble.

Can you try to replant It?
 
I always thought that the root system was about equal to the spread of the branches.
 
cheapest easiest thing to do is get rid of it
 
Tree belongs to me, and doesn't overhang or encroach onto any neighbour's property in any way.
 
BillK said:
I always thought that the root system was about equal to the spread of the branches.
Click to expand...

Root spread varies from species to species, from 1 to 3 times the spread. Oak is particularly problematic, as it can cause soil shrinkage during dry spells.

If it's 2 feet from the house wall, then it's even closer to the footings. Fine in most cases if the footings are sound, but the roots will work their way into any little crack and expand these over time.

A qualified tree surgeon will be able to advise on whether it's possible to limit its growth or transplant it successfully.
 
I got in touch with Acorn, a Dublin tree-surgeon company.

Apparently my tree is a pear-tree and if its pruned every 5/6 years, there shouldn't be any difficulty and no damage to foundations.

Call-out to inspect was free, and should I want the tree taken away - very reasonable. I've no connection to Acorn but was impressed by them more-or-less saying free-of-charge to just leave the tree alone (and not trying to offer further services).
 

I know this thread is 2 years old,but its rather easy to dig up the rootball of a 10 foot tall tree and transplant the tree to a better location where you can watch it grow and then train it properly (if you want to train it) to give a good yield of fruit.
If you decide to leave it where it is then a pleached pear tree on a large garden wall makes for an impressive sight in a garden and will still give good flowers and fruit too.Pleaching is easy enough to do if you have a little time to spare and know when to prune it,you just need to train the soft new shoots/branches out along bamboo canes or guide wires on the wall and let the tree grow its branches out in a fan shape or square shape along the wall.Guide wires would be best.
You will have a lovely feature in your garden and you will still get good flowers and good fruit too.

Hope this helps you.
 
It is not always advisable to dig up a tree as the ground may be very dry in the area it was planted. The opposite might happen when the tree is removed causing the soil to heave and swell against the property.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register