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trees/shrubs suitable for drain pipes and sceptic tank

hi i am new to this and need tp plant near a sceptic tank and pipes any suggestions for suitable shallow rooted trees shrubs also in scotland a very windy site

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  • What is the tank sceptical about? image

  • WaysideWayside Posts: 845
    Alan Clark2 says:

    What is the tank sceptical about? image

    See original post

    The 'windy' site...

  • plant pauperplant pauper Posts: 6,904

    Ignore them Karen. Somebody sensible will be along soon.

    Make a cuppa...it might be a while! image

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Yes - I'm sensible Pp - you wouldn't catch me making jokes about sceptic tanks. That would be really terrible....image

    We had holly and a  flowering cherry right next to ours. They were both mature trees and had caused no problems. They were also in a windy Scottish site image

    In fact, I think the 'location' helped them grow extremely well, if you know what I mean....image image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Ladybird4Ladybird4 Posts: 37,905

    I would think it very unwise to plant any tree near a septic tank and the accompanying pipe work in case any excavation work is needed in the future to sort out possible problems but herbaceous perennials would be a safe option.

    I should have asked if this is a septic tank no longer used?

    Last edited: 03 August 2016 17:09:05

    Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
  • WaysideWayside Posts: 845

    Yes forgive me for the wee jest.  Didn't spot that you were a first poster.

    Is it a septic tank?  I guess it would be useful to identify where any soakaway lies.

    http://www.wte-ltd.co.uk/soakaway_plants.html

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    we have field maple, hawthorn, Cotoneaster lacteus and small yews (to be kept small) very close to ours. There are willows and a privet hedge within rooting distance, they've been there since 1960 and haven't caused problems yet. The onbe that has pushed roots between bricks into a manhole is the shallow rooted Catalpa bignonioides. A lot will depend on the state of your system, roots in the soakaway are probably not a big deal but if you have an old crumbling brick tank that might be bad news. 

    Our tank has always been known as the sceptic tank. Some people are a little septic about its efficiency but we know it works just fine



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    We also had a large privet hedge next to ours, nut.

    A very overgrown hedge which was tamed - allowing the two trees to be shown off better too image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    privet needs a good taming sometimes Fairy. Ours was so tall the phone wires kept snagging on it. Down to a reasonable 5 or 6 feet nowimage



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    That one was a bit smaller nut, but the phone lines were just above it!

    It had encroached on the trees - it was about five feet wide and was a real mess. Had to go into the adjoining field with a ladder to tame it on that side too. The sheep were fascinated...  image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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