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Tree planting near pipe

NormandyLizNormandyLiz Posts: 788
in Plants
I'm preparing the holes for my new apple trees. Having faffed, faffed and faffed some more as to exactly where to put them, good old sod's law is that I start lifting the grass and find a pipe. It's the rainwater run off from the garage that leads to the adjacent field. Yes, with hindsight I should probably have known it was there but it's one of those things we don't really think about.

The question is what impact if any would there be on root/tree growth if it is planted near a pipe and, if there is an impact, how far away should it be? 



Posts

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    If the pipe is sound, an apple tree is not likely to be a problem. If it has cracks in it, it will water the tree.  You could always divert the water from your garage roof into barrels  for watering in dry weather.
  • NormandyLizNormandyLiz Posts: 788
    Thanks, @fidgetbones. I'm not so much worried about the pipe as the tree.

    I had thought about diverting the water to store it somehow but it's not obvious how to do it given the layout, and we have a well that saw us through last year.
  • NormandyLizNormandyLiz Posts: 788
    I've shifted the spot for that particular tree over half a metre or so. My concern came from reading the planting instructions, which included keeping the stake at least 15cm from the tree to avoid any risk of branches not forming and hence a lopsided tree. It being the first time I've planted a tree, I'm not sure quite how sensitive they are. 

    But the holes are dug and the trees arrive on Wednesday (having a small car I had to go with an online order in the end, but from a grower. Getting a tree in a Renault Zoe would be a bit of a squeeze!).

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