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Growing scots pine near foundation

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  • 08-01-2013 12:58pm
    #1
    paddylonglegs
    Registered Users Posts: 3,538 ✭✭✭


    Will this effect foundation?would plan to plant 3 metres or so from house.

    Thanks


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    #2
    lottpaul
    Registered Users Posts: 1,164 ✭✭✭lottpaul


    I wouldn't advise growing anything as big as a scots pine that close to a house. The roots would certainly damage the foundations and if that didn't happen there would a huge danger from the actual tree itself if it fell. I have one and the surface roots are huge and spread out in all directions. The closest I would even countenance would be 20 metres - and that might even be too close.


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    #3
    Oldtree
    Registered Users Posts: 8,104 ✭✭✭Oldtree


    this will give you an indication of suggested distances, (but not pine) but the suggested distances ar less than the maximum spread recorded for roots:

    http://www.subsidencebureau.com/subsidence_trees.htm

    The pine tree roots plates that I have seen can get out a few meters, at least 5meters, however I would suggest that as the pine will get quite large over time that you plant it someway down the garden so that you can enjoy looking at the tree from the house, its green and bark plates in the winter are lovely.


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    #4
    Ronagig
    Registered Users Posts: 20 ✭Ronagig


    No I would agree with everyone that's too close. We currently have an Ash that is about 20 foot from the house but we plan on Pollarding to restrict root growth.


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    #5
    Oldtree
    Registered Users Posts: 8,104 ✭✭✭Oldtree


    Ronagig wrote: »
    No I would agree with everyone that's too close. We currently have an Ash that is about 20 foot from the house but we plan on Pollarding to restrict root growth.
    pollarding will not necessairly solve your problem as a tree is a self balancing system so unless you reduce the roots the tree will reshoot rapidly and quickly and the junctions between the old wood and these new shoots will not be good thus leading to a new hazard. I'm not sure that you could count on root dieback following pollarding.


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    #6
    Ronagig
    Registered Users Posts: 20 ✭Ronagig


    Oldtree wrote: »
    pollarding will not necessairly solve your problem as a tree is a self balancing system so unless you reduce the roots the tree will reshoot rapidly and quickly and the junctions between the old wood and these new shoots will not be good thus leading to a new hazard. I'm not sure that you could count on root dieback following pollarding.
    We reduced the roots when we built the house & had read that pollarding or coppining would keep the roots in check but i'll double check, better to be safe than sorry!


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