Trees can be a great addition to any landscape. Trees provide shade, add aesthetic value, and are friendly to the environment. Roots of the trees can cause big problems for your lawn and driveway.
How Tree Roots Grow and Spread
Tree roots serve many purposes: they help stabilize the tree, absorb water and nutrients, and serve as a way to save food for the future growth of a tree. Roots of a tree can reach further out than the actual area of a tree’s canopy, usually spreading two to three times wider than the width of a tree. Most roots can be found within the top 12 to 18 inches of soil.
This intensive root system is vital for the health of the tree. It can also be a problem for lawns/driveways or other structures. As the roots grow and begin to branch out, a huge pressure is exerted on the surrounding soil.
Roots and Your Lawn
- Uneven Terrain: The most common problem with tree roots is the unevenness they cause in the ground. The tree roots can develop some bumps and ridges on the surface of your lawn. Mowing in such places becomes difficult, and they are a tripping hazard and eyesore among otherwise smooth lawns.
- Nutrient Competition: The roots of trees are very efficient at absorbing water and nutrients from the soil. This leads to poor nutrient intake by the grass and other plants. With time, this causes your lawn’s spots to turn dry.
- Root Exposure and Soil Erosion: Erosion around large roots can result in the exposure of roots. Besides being unsightly spots on your lawn, the health of the tree can be in jeopardy.
The Driveway Effect
- Cracking and Lifting: Tree roots can be extremely damaging to driveways, sidewalks, or any other kind of paved area. In the event that the roots underneath a driveway get big enough, they may push up with force upon the pavement, making it crack, lift, or buckle. More often than not, such defects can be unsightly, sometimes hazardous, to both vehicles and pedestrians.
- Expensive Repairs: Tree root damage requires expensive repairs. Although small fissures can be repaired, more serious devastation may mean the removal and replacement of entire portions of the driveway.
- Water Drainage Problems: The tree roots can hinder the drainage of water in your driveway area. In case of disturbed soil by the roots, they can easily change the natural water flow by pooling the water or giving way to runoff problems in that particular area.
Prevention and Management of Issues Caused by Roots
The best treatment for root problems with trees is to attempt to prevent the problem from developing in the first place. A few things you can try to protect your lawn and your driveway include the following:
Proper Tree Selection and Planting: While planting new trees, plant species that have non-invasive root systems. Consider the full-grown size of the tree while planting.
Routine Care: Monitor tree health and prune and maintain roots regularly. For sensitive areas such as driveways and lawns, reroute roots using root barriers.
Professional Expertise: If the damage caused by roots is at a higher scale or one believes that the house is in jeopardy, then it will be better to involve a professional.
Let American Tree & Lawn Services Handle Your Tree Problems
Tree roots are very significant to the life of a tree; however, they can be quite a problem for any homeowner. Knowledge of how tree roots may impact your property can go a long way in taking care of your property while still benefiting from the trees.
If you suspect any root problems for your lawn or driveway, or if you have any other tree care questions, reach out to us at American Tree & Lawn Services. We want to help you maintain a lovely, safe, and healthy landscape. Call us today to schedule a consultation and learn more about how we can help with all of your tree care needs.
