Tree Roots – Covering

Q: These three maples have spread their dastardly roots for 25 years. Short of expanding the block wall and ivy, is there a solution besides totally removing the trees?

A: Bank robbers rob banks because that’s where the money is.

Tree roots grow on top of the soil because that’s where the oxygen is.

Twenty-five years ago your lot was scraped flat, exposing a lot of clay. When the trees were planted, the roots couldn’t penetrate the heavy clay easily so they simply went upward and across the soil surface because that’s where growing conditions were best.

If you don’t want to remove the trees, one option would be to build a low wall using the type of blocks under the tree. Make it one or two blocks high along the edge of the lawn and spread sandy topsoil on top of the tree roots.

Blend the topsoil level with the surrounding existing grass and plant new grass on top of it, thus covering the roots and maintaining a green lawn.