Pine Tree – How Deep Do They Grow?

Q: How deep do pine tree roots grow into the ground? I have a sewer pipe located five feet underground and want to know if the pipe will be damaged by the tree roots. The nearest tree is six feet away.

A: In undisturbed clay soil pine tree roots rarely go deeper than a couple of feet. But when the soil has been disturbed, as in digging a sewer trench, they can go deeper because they have adequate oxygen in the soil. It is hard to predict whether the roots will hurt the sewer pipe or not. The damage I typically see is roots that grow alongside a pipe and thicken with age. The expansion impinges on the pipe, particularly at joints and can cause leaks. If there’s a leak the roots can go into the pipe.You probably need to hire a consulting arborist from www.georgiaarborist.org.