tree roots

chriskq

Was chatting to dad the other day and he is keen to remove a tree in their big yard - a med size jacaranda. If you dug a trench around the tree and started severing big roots, how much would it take to make the tree unstable? over 50%?

From the size of one of the roots he showed me one might think it only needs a few to stay upright. The whole area is getting landscaped so he doesnt mind the manual labour, and obv there is room for the tree to fall.

cheers

second-gen_monkey

Is there a specific reason for your trench plan? Do you guys want to move the tree?
If you are going to just remove it I'd just cut it down and grind the stump or dig it out with a back hoe.
If you want to move it I recommend hiring a tree spade to scoop it out.

chriskq

thats what i suggested too him myself - but i think dad has a little too much time on his hands since recently retiring.

so if the trench approach was to be done - say each north south east west direction had 3 big roots (maybe 12-15cm in diameter) each way, just a guess too. Wants the tree up rooted so he can safety chainsaw it up he said and the roots need to be gone for mums pond or something.

Apocalypsse

Gonna be much safer if you fell it then cut the roots to get the stump out. Too many things can go wrong trying to fell it by cutting roots.

Eric Frei

Oh boy, this sounds bad!

I'll be watching the news articles for injuries.

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Jeff Darby

Yeah but where is it going to fall is the question?? on Dad.....the dog...accident about to happen... mate seriously just fell it properly.

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chriskq

ok i'll give him the advice.... not worth the risk if you guys say so.

Cheers,

Apocalypsse

It will be like taking the top right and bottom left legs off a chair, you won't be able to control the direction is falls in, if it falls at all.

second-gen_monkey

Apocalypse has a point... If it falls at all.... Tap roots can hold the whole tree for a while, right until you stand under it.

If roots are dads concern, digging a pond will get rid of them any way. Just Have it felled and dig the hole.

Brent Ferris

If you really want to uproot the tree roots (since there may not be access for a stump grinder) get the tree removed and leave the trunk about 15 feet high to act as a lever, dig round and then pullover - its a lot of work, but once the top is gone, the trunk generally comes over the way it is pulled. A 2 ton chain fall helps a lot -- assuming you have a decent anchor-- especially if you have cut all the surface roots, and the tap root -- that you can't reach, without a "bloody deep" hole-- still holds the trunk up.

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Steve Tipton

Very few mature trees have a significant tap root.
Believe me, I've dug out enough of them by had in years past.

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Heightmaster

Brent Ferris

So have I. And the ones that have a decent tap root always seem to be in the yards with the worst access or no decent anchor,

__________________
My business: Tree Pruning and Removals -- Strump Removals -- Advice -- Consulting -- Arborist Reports
If you want an honest opinion, call Brent Ferris...because, Trees want to Live Too !
We do great jobs, even in small yards.

Free Estimates Oakville to Oshawa - North to Bradford (Will travel further if cost of travelling covered)