Bad Roots

LOL Anyone ?

Well I don't know your plants, but I was a gardener at one time, dig a trench a couple feet from your hedge and down 2 feet, you really don't know until you excavate. I doubt the roots will come back up unless it's an extremely aggressive plant like bamboo.

The plant needs some fine roots for nutrients and moisture, keep the plants well watered the first year. Also prune back the tops appropriately before all this starts to save the plant from stress. The roots attached to the plant will repair and send out new ones close to the cut areas. There is no stopping that or your plants will be dead in a year and you can take them out and start all over again, much to your neighbor's dismay.

I've seen several attempts by homeowners to stop tree roots from lifting walks and parking areas, they cut the big offending root, didn't prune the tree back and a year later they're taking the dead tree out. Big trees need big roots to support them like flying butresses on cathedrals, as well as for water and nutrients. Best way to make roots grow deep is to water with long soakings then not for a while, the roots seek out deep moisture.

You guys can all talk geeky electronics, I can talk serious Horticulture.

"dave what make is the hedge"......it could be naim i suppose as it is green ! its not a privet thats for sure.
Stu im not sure its just a normal hedge that has longish green leaves with the stems approx 2" in diameter at surface level. i only hope that they are a lot thinner below ground as i must try to get most of them out, tomorrows the big dig!

wolf,
dont know if you read the start of my thread properly BUT i WANT the damn thing out...all of it!! im paving over the dead roots to make for an extended drive. scotty

A couple of years ago i totally stripped my garden bare and laid turfs and paving. It had shrubs, small trees and all manner of plants. As yet, nothing has grown through - it seems to me that if the roots have no sunlight then they cannot grow, so dig down and take out as much as you can and then pave over..i hope it works for you and good luck man..

Plenty of room for bbq's this year...if we get some decent weather

ok naimites....been out digging since 9 this morning and im f*****g shagged ! Good news is that i have got 2 large roots out and have dug down 500mm which is enough to pour concrete for a foundation and there seems very little root left.
The bad news is that i have 6 more bastards to dig out.....this is gonna take longer than anticipated me thinks.
I plan on removing 2 per day after work which wont kill me too much That should take me up to around thursday when i will pour the concrete and treat the roots with paraffin etc.
I will hopefully crazy pave over the concrete next w-end. At least the weathers turned warmer.
Scotty
p.s. im having dreams about a mechanical digger ! sad or what.

No scotty, it's not sad..your on a mission now, good luck and i hope all works out ok

I am always a little sad when gardens and greenery are paved over to make way for the almighty car. It's practically an epidemic in the UK where people who want off-street parking often have little choice but to turn their front yards into parking lots.

Winky,
We are only talking a 15' long x 6' high hedge not Kew gardens !

Hi mate,
We had a couple of trees cut down from our garden last year. They left a few inches of stump above ground level. To kill it off, they drilled a deep hole & then injected a root killer fluid into the hole. Worked a treat.
"Round up" sell a root killer fluid, & there are probably other brands as well.
Just make sure any chemical you use is safe for the dog!
Terrible news Rigor mortis is out for a couple of months injured. How will we ever cope without him???
Cheers
Matt.

trouble is Matt- how the hell will we ever get rid of the piece of shit if he keeps getting injured !! i know lets just give him away....oh i forgot nobody wants him...i know lets just kill him -i know a few people who would do it for a grand fancy chipping in ?
best regards, Dave

Dave,
My credit card number is.......................
feel free!
If you've got any of that Round Up root killer left over after you've sorted the garden out, I'll hold him down, you pour it down his screech!
Looks like young Freddie might get a run out for the next week or two!
Are you going to any of the Rayleigh days? I'm up for the Naim & the Focal days. It'd be good to see you again.
Matt.

Matt,

Tell me more about the Rayleigh days ?

Dave

I've used stuff called 'Deep Root' which worked well, sounds like a reggae band too!

quote:

Originally posted by scottyhammer:
Winky,
We are only talking a 15' long x 6' high hedge not Kew gardens !

None of the small private car parks replacing front gardens is significant by itself. But they add up. I was not really meaning to challenge your individual decision - more of a general sadness on my part regarding the loss of greenspace in the face of an ever-expanding and car-driving/parking population.

In that case i tend to agree with you but hey ho such is life!

Hooray i have got all the roots out now...only took 3 days! have got paraffin to pour over roots........ glad thats over.
trenched out to a depth of 500mm am going to pour concrete soon for the foundation.
my backs bloody killing me !

concrete is in and ready to pave on thursday !

Well, think of the hard work as a great workout for your body, you don't need to go to the gym. When I was a landscaper I was lean and worked out, ate as much as I wanted, pissed some of my desk jockey friends who would put on weight, but they made more than me.

Of course not bad with mild temps in SoCal.

I did one job last January and the hispanic guy had his crew with a jack hammer and a spade end just tearing up the shrubs I wanted out. It would have taken me a week in that clay with shovel and pick. Of course the old plastic sprinkler system had to be replaced. Any time they got near it, it fractured.

PS I like those paving bricks set in a grid on sand, lets water thru instead of rushing down teh street and drain.

Sounds like fun Dave. I look forward to seeing those 'before and after' pics - and indeed parking on the blighter next time.

Good luck mate.

John.

....and the concreting over of the UK continues at record pace....

no youre not listening are you Winky ! concrete foundations THEN crazy paving finish surface.
but i take your point.
john, why dont you come down to visit and christen it ?

All done at last-now just have to wait a week before i can drive on it!