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Invasive roots

Hi, my OH's garden seems to be full of some sort of root system.  No plants but tons of tiny roots.  They're taking up all the moisture in this hot weather and plants are dying left right and centre! Has anybody come across this before? I'll try and post a picture later. Thanks

Posts

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    Is there a large tree close by?



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • JAC51JAC51 Posts: 175

    imageYes there is but the roots are also in a separate bed 10' away from the tree

  • JAC51JAC51 Posts: 175

    image

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    large trees have large roots and have no respect for boundaries. They will spread way beyond the canopy in some cases. They look like tree/shrub roots to me



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,146

    They look like tree roots to me too. 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340

    I'll drink to that too.


    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,146

    My OH says they look like ash tree roots ... he's spent a lot of time digging up ash tree roots all over this garden image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • JAC51JAC51 Posts: 175

    Thanks peeps for your views.  I don't suppose we can get rid of the roots then because the tree is very mature and not really viable to be cut down. Any suggestions how to mitigate the problem?  I would say that the problem only appears in very dry weather. Although planting is interesting as you need to work so hard to dig a hole through the mass of roots!

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    I have a lot of trees and it is difficult to get things establishes sometimes. A good muck/compost  mulch and watering til things are established helps



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • wakeshinewakeshine Posts: 975

    I would like to know this too because one flower bed on the north facing of our garden also has roots like this in a lot of it. It's all from neighbours leylandi hedging trees and other trees on their side.

    We have only planted bushes there and some stuff which doesn't even thrive - there was a holly from before, some ornamental bushes (don't know names - maybe euonymus), a hydrangea that doesn't flower, a rhododendron that doesn't flower etc. Bulbs do okay there - daffodils etc. On one area which gets more sun and has less roots, I dug loads of it out and replaced with organic garden compost and top soil. It was hard work. Then I planted a rose and some clematis this year. Not sure if they will thrive or not, have had some flowers but waiting to see what happens or if tree roots come back. You could try this. But on the bit with the masses of roots we have just the ornamental bushes.

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