Uncovering the Truth About Tree Roots

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  • Опубліковано 23 лис 2024

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  • @Leaflimb
    @Leaflimb  Місяць тому +2

    We receive many comments about this video is not factual. For those people - and all future posts - here is the research citation: Roberts, J., Jackson, N., & Smith, M. (2013). Tree roots in the built environment. Arboricultural Association.
    Here is a link to the Google Scholar preview of this book: books.google.com/books?id=afiZn2h8QjEC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
    In addition, it's worth noting that we have 50+ staff engaged purely in tree preservation (no removals), which means we do a lot of work in the soil and with roots. Our observations from the field align with the research. Roots generally do not cause issues with roots and pipes.

  • @shawneenhammer4241
    @shawneenhammer4241 3 місяці тому +3

    Love love love love love it when people talk love for the trees instead of injuring the lovelies 🌳🌲

  • @Vistafunk
    @Vistafunk 6 місяців тому +7

    Finally I get an answer to this! Crazy how prevalent the idea that tree roots mirror the canopy is, even among people who know about trees.

  • @bengerbot8702
    @bengerbot8702 6 місяців тому +8

    Tree root definitely smooshed my sprinkler pipe by growing right over it and expanding. Previous homeowner's fault for planting it a foot away from the pipes...

  • @stevemiller7949
    @stevemiller7949 10 місяців тому +5

    THANK YOU!!! There is way more too much to unpack from this than I can cover now. Suffice it to say that I believe that public trees get abused horribly on a daily basis by sins of omission and commission. This is compounded by pretty horrifying ignorance on the part of both government and the public. A mind is a terrible thing to waste, and so is a beneficial and viable tree. I also believe there are huge LOW-COST opportunities for enhancing our urban forests but the public is unaware. Why can't we have a public forestry effort akin to the victory gardens of WWII?? We also could benefit from a nation wide corps of citizen scientists working on tree optimization. Get kids involved! Here endeth my sermon🙂🙂💯💯❤️❤️

  • @fiddlebender88
    @fiddlebender88 4 місяці тому +1

    Thank you for this! Some of my neighbors have the stubborn thought that we shouldn't have trees near the house. I have never in my life seen it become an issue and I have lived in places where there are several trees around the house.

    • @thebubbacontinuum2645
      @thebubbacontinuum2645 4 місяці тому

      Trees near expensive structures become very serious problems when the wind blows, and every tree eventually dies. A rotten tree next to a house is dangerous.
      Today I saw a little cherry tree about 6 feet from a building. Somebody is going to regret that in 20 years.

  • @djtomtrain2015
    @djtomtrain2015 8 місяців тому +12

    I do irrigation for a living and i peraonally fix and reroute pipes near trees bc they crush pinch and sometimes completely wrap around pipes for up to 10 feet.

    • @Leaflimb
      @Leaflimb  8 місяців тому

      Sometimes roots damage pipes, but it's not the norm. The research shows that roots are to blame in less than 20% of cases.

    • @djtomtrain2015
      @djtomtrain2015 8 місяців тому

      @@Leaflimb i absolutely believe that. I should have mentioned my pipes have cold running water in them thus the grou d moisture collect on the pipes and the roots love that.

    • @server1ok
      @server1ok 5 місяців тому +1

      @@djtomtrain2015 More common reasons --> 1. Frost. 2. Old pipes. 3. Natural movement of the ground + frost movement in the ground. 4. Bad connections and low quality product.

    • @djtomtrain2015
      @djtomtrain2015 5 місяців тому +4

      @@server1ok absolutely. I've seen it all. But roots are an issue. 20 years of Coldwater causes condensation witch obviously plants love. And a tree will exploit that. May take 10+ years but ive seen over a foot of 1.25 inch pipe 100% encased in roots. On more than 1 occasion.

    • @facetious_1
      @facetious_1 3 місяці тому

      Yeah. The creator of this video is a complete doink....😂 obviously hasn't been outside around real world situations much.

  • @venkatbalakrishnan28
    @venkatbalakrishnan28 Місяць тому +1

    I recently took an interest in trees and came across your video. Awesome content

  • @ijustwanttosay7417
    @ijustwanttosay7417 7 місяців тому +1

    Great video and as a result, I will seek out a second opinion. I was told by an arborist that my maple tree will need to be cut down because the roots are pushing the parkway divider out on the sides. The tree is thirty years old and still going strong. I really do not want to cut it down but if the parkway divider cannot be pushed back in on the sides then I may be forced to. This arborist is a part of ASCA and ISA. They seem knowledgeable but I say it still doesn’t hurt to get a second opinion.

    • @Leaflimb
      @Leaflimb  7 місяців тому

      There may be other alternatives for how to solve your problem without cutting down the tree. Check out this helpful guide from Seattle. Solutions start on page 32: www.seattle.gov/documents/Departments/SDOT/Trees/TreeSidewalksOperationsPlan_final215.pdf

    • @ijustwanttosay7417
      @ijustwanttosay7417 7 місяців тому

      @@Leaflimb Thank you for your reply. I looked at the document and the I’m not sure what you are referencing, exactly, as my solution. Can you elaborate more on what you mean?

    • @Leaflimb
      @Leaflimb  6 місяців тому

      @@ijustwanttosay7417 I'm not sure of your exact situation, but that document may have some solutions

    • @ijustwanttosay7417
      @ijustwanttosay7417 6 місяців тому

      @@Leaflimb Okay, thank you.

  • @calvinemery6585
    @calvinemery6585 7 місяців тому +9

    They might not break pipes, but they sure side destroy driveways

    • @Leaflimb
      @Leaflimb  4 місяці тому

      Yes, they can certainly lift driveways. Luckily there are some easy ways to prevent this (eg, root barriers) or fix the damage (eg, shaving the top of the concrete). Seattle has a great guide oftern lots of options for how to prevent and alleviate roots lifting concreate, asphalt, etc

    • @jzhao1562
      @jzhao1562 4 місяці тому +1

      @@Leaflimb Im struggling with the same probelm! Your vidoe is super informative. We have two large maple and a sycamore tree in our front yard and close to the house. What would you say its the best as to treating the root as a long term solution? By Seattle do you mean the city? Many thanks.

    • @Leaflimb
      @Leaflimb  4 місяці тому

      @@jzhao1562 Root barriers are a great way to prevent them from growing under the pavement/sidewalks/driveways. If they have already done this, it may be necessary to prune them and then to install barriers. If the growth is advanced, you may need to consider other ideas outlined in the guide from the city of Seattle (see: www.seattle.gov/documents/Departments/SDOT/Trees/TreeSidewalksOperationsPlan_final215.pdf). I hope this helps!

  • @twwoody813
    @twwoody813 3 місяці тому +3

    My neighbour has a large tree at the bottom of his garden backing on to. mine. The roots from the tree have now started to lift the gravel boards and the fence panel. I have had advice on how to cut my gravel board to straighten the wonky fence panel. Of course I will be responsible for the cost of this work which I think is grossly unfair. It should in my opinion, be the owner of the tree that pays for any damage on someone else's property 😡

    • @mgoh1984
      @mgoh1984 Місяць тому

      The tree literally needs your help. I hope you can work it out with your neighbor or feel fine caring for your elderly dependent.

  • @dickybyrd6865
    @dickybyrd6865 5 місяців тому +4

    Not my experience. Roots lift foundations and water pipes. The lifted foundations crack and the foundations become uneven. The lifted pipes, if at a connection will break in time.

    • @server1ok
      @server1ok 5 місяців тому

      When lifting it depends on the cross section and the speed of growth. If it grows slowly ? it will displace the earth instead of the pipe. The earth has movement even with zero plants, because of frost and natural pockets, so you need pipes that can move regardless and all pipes have a certain lifetime of operation. If you live in Arizona desert you can put pipes on top of the earth cause it won't freeze, you will probably not use the desert as a football field and it's much cheaper n easier to fix.

    • @dickybyrd6865
      @dickybyrd6865 5 місяців тому

      @@server1ok I’m in Northern California, I deal with damns, large irrigation pipes, vineyard irrigation pipes, houses, barns, concrete pump pads and trees throughout the properties. I have sidewalks cracked, walkways heaved, dam water leaks, irrigation pipes strangled and cracked, as you mentioned roots lifting irrigation pipe to the surface, and a barn presently with a concrete floor cracked and lifted. Roots of trees damage many things. It’s the price you pay if you love trees.

    • @Leaflimb
      @Leaflimb  Місяць тому

      I guess we'll keep posting the same reply to comments like this one: "Go look at the research published by Morton Arboretum and others."
      If it helps, we have 50+ staff engaged purely in tree preservation (no removals), which means we do a lot of work in the soil and with roots. Our observations from the field align with the research. Root generally do not cause issues with roots and pipes.

  • @RavenclawFtW3295
    @RavenclawFtW3295 5 місяців тому

    When a foundation or pipe is unbroken and uncracked, how will the tree root interact with it?

  • @wadewilson-xi1zs
    @wadewilson-xi1zs 4 місяці тому +5

    This is such bull sh**! The previous home owners planted trees over our water lines & our neighbors, these trees have grown through (broken) 3 water lines in different spots, I have pictures of the roots growing through & next to the pvc pipes & breaking them. Our plumber told us this is common when a dumb dumb plants trees over water lines.

    • @Leaflimb
      @Leaflimb  4 місяці тому

      But did the roots actually cause the damage? or were they simply in the pipes taking advantage of free water after the pipes cracked due to other reasons? The research says that in 8 out of 10 cases it's the latter - the trees entered after the pipe already had cracks but did not actually cause the damage. Plumbers often mistake correlation for causation, which has given pipes a baseless bad reputation. You can check out the research on Morton Arboretum's website

    • @wadewilson-xi1zs
      @wadewilson-xi1zs 4 місяці тому +2

      @@Leaflimb the short answer is yes the roots are why the pipes broke, not sure why the research you are using doesn't account for roots growing next to the pipes & causing pressure that ultimately cracks the PVC… This would mean that the roots are to blame for the leak, whether it’s growing through the pipe or causing the pipe to crack from pressure either way the root caused the leak.

    • @Leaflimb
      @Leaflimb  4 місяці тому +1

      @@wadewilson-xi1zs The research does account for this. I think the point you are missing is that roots are like melted cheese - they ooze through and around things in search of water. If a pipe is broken - which often happens from poor installation and microvibrations in the ground - the roots will enter the pipe. Then the plumber sees them in the pipe and thinks they are to blame for the damage. But they simply entered what was already broken. Like I said, plumbers mistake correlation (the roots being in the pipe) with causation (the roots broke the pipe)
      Roots rarely break pipes and foundations. The research is strong on this point. If you don't believe me, I encourage you to go do your own research on this matter.

  • @nimitz42
    @nimitz42 7 місяців тому +5

    Well done very informative!

  • @actraveler8309
    @actraveler8309 Місяць тому

    Tree roots do indeed break pipes and infiltrate pipes with nearly microscopic voids or minimal porosity. I’ve literally had a section of sewage piping replaced for the tree root damage to come back the next year and do the same thing.

    • @Leaflimb
      @Leaflimb  Місяць тому

      I guess we'll keep posting the same reply to comments like this one: "Go look at the research published by Morton Arboretum and others."
      If it helps, we have 50+ staff engaged purely in tree preservation (no removals), which means we do a lot of work in the soil and with roots. Our observations from the field align with the research. Roots generally do not cause issues with roots and pipes.

    • @Tryo707
      @Tryo707 5 днів тому

      @@Leaflimb "Generally" is not synonymous with "Always". That is the point people keep making, and you keep refuting. The research itself essentially boils down to "unlikely, yet remains possible" and you are out here holding up giant flashing "NO" signs. Makes you look biased and less than honest, even if you truly are not.

  • @rebeccacook7924
    @rebeccacook7924 Рік тому +4

    Thank you for this! 🌳

  • @TheArboristPT
    @TheArboristPT Рік тому +4

    Awesome video!!!

  • @jamig.7254
    @jamig.7254 5 місяців тому +1

    Well said! Many thanks.

  • @flvflv4712
    @flvflv4712 4 місяці тому +1

    I love trees.

  • @gp_thats_it
    @gp_thats_it 4 місяці тому

    My husband and I just planted some young queen palms and noticed while digging that there's a pipe underneath two of them. We live in a new construction house and so the pipes are new. Should I move the trees or will it be fine?

    • @DOWNTOWN_AUDIO
      @DOWNTOWN_AUDIO 3 місяці тому

      If you plan on staying there for a while or you care about the next person YES! I just realized a cedar tree invaded my basement and I have about 25% wall space in my basement filled with roots behind it. Including my bathroom and bedroom wall. It's not cool.

    • @gp_thats_it
      @gp_thats_it 3 місяці тому

      @@DOWNTOWN_AUDIO I had the water utility company come out and they said it's fine. The pipes are still new so the roots won't get in. They'll damage the pipes if the pipes have existing cracks. So they said the trees are fine

  • @gracenguyen8888
    @gracenguyen8888 Місяць тому

    Trees grow roots further around in years no matter where you plant them.

  • @simpleminded5215
    @simpleminded5215 5 місяців тому +2

    While you might be correct in tree roots don’t break pipes to enter it they do enter sewer pipes after the water and nutrients. Once inside the pipe they multiply until they cause an issue with the pipe carrying sewage away. In this instance I would say they actually do break the pipe as they expand in the entry point of the pipe, typically a joint, and the pipe breaks. I’ve excavated numerous sewer pipes where this has occurred. When you expose the failed joint many times the root entering it is 1/2” or larger in diameter with thousands of hair size roots inside. Rest assured there was not a 1/2” gap in that joint from construction. Nor was it installed broken.

    • @facetious_1
      @facetious_1 3 місяці тому

      Yeah. The creator of this video is a cream puff. Obviously never dug up a water line , sewer, or sidewalk exploded in slow mo bc of growing trees or roots....😂

  • @Jenura01
    @Jenura01 Рік тому +3

    Good to know! Thanks.

  • @VeganRocker3
    @VeganRocker3 2 місяці тому

    Okkkk but I really want to plant a Rising Sun redwood (dwarf 8-12’ size) on top of a clay pipe, that is only a few years old, and looks great. Any advice on creating some kind of barrier so the roots can grow around the pipe? Someone please tell me yes it’s possible 😢
    And yes this is the ONLY place I would be able to put it

  • @wemuk5170
    @wemuk5170 7 місяців тому +1

    Are you saying that a sycamore tree planted too near my house is safe in general - no matter it’s size and height?

    • @Leaflimb
      @Leaflimb  7 місяців тому +1

      Generally, yes. But if there are cracks in pipes or the foundation, the roots will take advantage of these

    • @bigeee3123
      @bigeee3123 7 місяців тому

      I disagree. My neighbors tree roots grew under a wrought iron fence and slowly began lifting it until it snapped the fence at the weld.

    • @Leaflimb
      @Leaflimb  7 місяців тому +1

      @@bigeee3123 It's not to say that roots never cause issues. Rather, it's not the norm. Our hope is to help inspire people to take a closer look at the situation rather than just remove an entire healthy tree. In most situations, there are other factors at play that caused the issue and/or better and cheaper solutions than removing the entire tree

  • @jeannefischer3868
    @jeannefischer3868 7 місяців тому

    Yeah I have huge on the neighbors side tipping my retaining wall and also starting to crack the asphalt driveway. So I was thinking the cut the roots on the side where the wall and driveway are. Is there a special way to do that? without harming the tree of course. Also I don't know what kind of tree it is, not evergreen , not oak or maple and it's good size. So if you cut roots is there something to put on those cuts to help the tree from bleeding out water and nutrients

    • @Leaflimb
      @Leaflimb  7 місяців тому

      It's complicated to help without being able to see the specifics of the site. My best advice would be to find a company that has ISA Certified Arborists with Tree Risk Assessment Qualifications who are part of a company that do not glorify or prioritize tree removal. They should be able to help with you a project like this (and will likely charge a consulting fee + service fee for the work)

  • @mtaylor9055
    @mtaylor9055 8 місяців тому

    I would really really love to plant a pink lady apple tree (it's supposed to get 8 ft wide and 15 ft tall) but I live in Southern California with a tiny front yard. I would have to plant it about 3 ft from the water pipe and I don't know the age or condition of this pipe. There is a tree planted about 4 feet from it a little farther down that was there when we moved in and we haven't noticed any issues and we did remove a few giant palm trees from the yard due to roof damage, but those never seemed to affect the water pipe either. How dangerous would it be to plant the apple?? Are there things I can do to minimize roots going in that direction?

    • @Leaflimb
      @Leaflimb  7 місяців тому

      It's hard to say without knowing more. If the pipe is not cracked and has been installed properly, this should be fine

  • @thebubbacontinuum2645
    @thebubbacontinuum2645 4 місяці тому +2

    If people didn't plant trees in stupid places, they would prevent a lot of unnecessary problems. A friend of mine bought a house with a courtyard that had a big tree in it. Incredibly dumb idea. My own house once had a big water oak around 8 feet from the foundation.
    The people who built my house put three citrus trees 8 feet apart. A citrus tree needs to be 40 feet away from the next tree. I cut them down.
    I just spent $7500 cutting down about 20 big oaks around my house. Now I will never need hurricane insurance. I'll save thousands every year, and I will never have to worry that a tree will demolish my roof, ruin things no insurance can replace, and drive my family out of my house while I wait for busy post-storm contractors to do repairs.
    Friend of mine spent months living in a trailer with her three sons, her elderly mother, and three dobermans because somebody didn't cut trees beside her home before a storm.
    Trees aren't sacred. They're vegetables, like cabbages. If they're in the way, rip them out.

  • @gerikbensing
    @gerikbensing 19 днів тому +1

    I love trees, but this video is about as unfactual as they come. In one segment you say that trees don't break foundations in houses, but in the next segment you say how the roots get bigger and break sidewalks... you know, the same way they damage foundations. I just came from another video where they hydro-excavate around roots of a tree that engulfed a pipe in multiple locations and cracked it in multiple places due to the tree growing and shifting, basically everything here is BS.

  • @MikaSginnep
    @MikaSginnep Місяць тому

    Poplar tree roots penetrate my garage wall and foundation, cracking them. The tree roots are still stuck there and i m unable yo pull them out. You are so wrong. Owner of poplar trees bougnt that little tree for $10 , grow mature to destoy my property and will cost me more than $20k to fix it

  • @scottparrish2422
    @scottparrish2422 6 місяців тому +12

    Fix the hardscape over and over as the tree keeps getting larger? Bad advice

    • @rowenaagustin7077
      @rowenaagustin7077 5 місяців тому +1

      No offense but are you qualified to talk

    • @BaDiLi2L
      @BaDiLi2L 4 місяці тому +2

      You are here to listen about tree, not your hardscape or landscape design. He is talking from tree perspective.

    • @facetious_1
      @facetious_1 3 місяці тому

      Scott. Some people are simply beyond insane. They won't even believe their own eyes.

  • @indigenabarbondeguanajuato6972
    @indigenabarbondeguanajuato6972 19 днів тому

    Trees destroy everything around them 😅..
    Specially jacarandas , that’s how I got here..
    Searching for jacaranda roots 😂

  • @darian.the.barbarian
    @darian.the.barbarian 3 місяці тому

    Only partially true. Yes there does have to be a crack in the pipe. But it could just be a hair line crack that isnt a huge deal. Once the roots find the water and go inside they expand and make the crack larger and larger.

    • @Leaflimb
      @Leaflimb  3 місяці тому

      The crack has to be large enough for the root to enter. Which is the point of our video. Hence why your comment is inaccurate. Our video is fully true, not partially true.

    • @dutchymon
      @dutchymon 2 місяці тому

      @@Leaflimb What if part of your video is in error?
      Therefore what darianthebarbarian posited is 100% true.
      Hence when a tree senses water from the pipe, it roots will tap their way in concrete, composite, and varrietie of plastic pipes.
      Typically pipes leak at the joints, also crack and even pinhole damage from soil pressure and movement, drain clearing, power cleaning all to be expected
      Thus Darian is saying the truth, tree roots will become vigorous and expand easy peazee squeezee like tap roots do when in contact with water.
      Whereas in natural progression, a pinhole will become a crack, a crack will become a larger crack and then a hole, larger and larger as taproot grows.

  • @SolidOakTreeManagement
    @SolidOakTreeManagement 2 місяці тому +8

    Sorry brother. Definitely not true. Tree roots grow under, around, over pipes, foundations, gas lines, and many other structures. As that root grows in diameter, they have immense power to add pressure to a water line or concrete slab - just like lifting a sidewalk. They break walls and foundations all the time. I am an expert in this field. I have seen thousand pound sections of concrete heaved by roots and push them into the asphalt on a street many times over. Plenty of evidence to back this up. I suggest taking your video down before it gives you a bad rep. Keep on learning Bro! Cheers

    • @Leaflimb
      @Leaflimb  Місяць тому +1

      I guess we'll keep posting the same reply to comments like this one: "Go look at the research published by Morton Arboretum and others."
      If it helps, we have 50+ staff engaged purely in tree preservation (no removals), which means we do a lot of work in the soil and with roots. Our observations from the field align with the research. Roots generally do not cause issues with roots and foundations.

    • @Leaflimb
      @Leaflimb  Місяць тому +1

      Also, in your case, you mention lifting concrete, but that is not the point of this video. We did not say they do not lift concrete/asphalt (different topic from pipes/foundations with different conclusions). Instead we said this is not a reason to condemn a tree since there are easier/cheaper solutions to that issue than removing the entire tree.

    • @CONCERTMANchicago
      @CONCERTMANchicago 27 днів тому

      *Step away from the trees, far away.*
      _New tree roots easily Expand through loose soil refilling trench._
      And are forced to lift sidewalks because they are blocked from growing deeper. And invited by moisture Collecting under cold side of slab.
      Thus grow on top of compacted grade. Just to bother you
      …🤤

    • @compumundohipermegared917
      @compumundohipermegared917 7 днів тому

      You are no expert.

  • @yogihk9657
    @yogihk9657 9 місяців тому +3

    so roots make 100times worse effect but on an exusting weakness. still big effect on poor mans house foundation. oppression of poor.

  • @douglascrawford3896
    @douglascrawford3896 6 місяців тому

    thank-you was going to cut down 2 of our trees bc they are so close to our well ,which we rely on very heavily !!!!!