To use it, I will have to destroy my garden beds. The paths between them are 2’ wide and filled with wood chips. I don’t think the machine will get through. The garden is to the south from the picture, but goes from the road parallel to the border. I guess I will have to either risk and plant or not to plant at all. After some thinking using mattock against d8-10’’ roots looks not realistic either…
Perhaps considering a little longer project to dig a 2’ wide 24” deep trench, use an ax or chainsaw to cut the tree roots, then install an 12’ long, 24” wide roofing sheet as your permanent tree root barrier. It will be at least 10 years before those roots can grow under and around your barrier to invade the area of your new apple tree. That allows more than adequate time for the new tree to complete. Suggest this type of panel $36.00 at Home Depot
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Suntuf
26 in. x 12 ft. Corrugated Polycarbonate Roof Panel in Solar Gray
It’s a lot of digging, but a permanent solution!
Good digging!
Dennis
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If you are not expecting bushels of fruit, they might do okay. Just realize it is a bit of a gamble and don’t get your hopes too high.
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Yes, this is what I thought about too. But I am not really sure I can complete this project. I used hand tools to remove bittersweet root in the other area and my hands didn’t cooperate at all. But thanks for suggestion!
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I decided to use my mattock to dig an exploratory trench . I was very excited with how easy it went and how quickly I was able to dig 8’ trench. While digging, I found a good sponge of feeding roots but nothing I couldn’t get through with a leverage of mattock. I was so excited so we went to HD and bought bunch of roof panels. Silly me, I should be concerned, not excited … When I got closer to an old stump of the huge pine, and big old roots started to appear on my way, I got concerned. 3-4’ from the stump, big roots are 1-1.5’ deep. And slightly going down.When I dig the trench, I was digging about 10’ from a large growing pine, I should be seeing at least 1-2 of it’s large roots. But I saw nothing. Where they are? I guess much deeper. But they need more then 10 ’ radius for feeding and there are no fertile soil bellow 2’. How do they grow their roots in my garden beds 30’ away from the trunk? I guess they send the feeding roots up from the large roots. And they could appear anywhere where the large roots reach. So what would be the purpose of my $500 project? Yes, it may stop some roots. But really not the majority of it. They probably correct when they saying that majority of the pine roots are in first 2’ of soil. But nobody say they stay in that 2’ along their length.
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I read a recent article on how plant roots communicate over long distances via Mycorrhizal fungi. This is especially true for most evergreens. If you go underneath where their needles pile up and dig down about a half foot you can see those telltale white strands tracing thru the decaying litter to take nutrients back to the tree roots. This capacity of the tree to search for nutrients can be overcome at least for a year or so by root barriers, maybe long enough fog your new tree to mature and compete. If you end up planting a new tree try to create your own Mycorrhizal fungi circle around it in the form of a woodchip bed. Avoid over watering that might drain back underneath your root barrier, attracting the invasive roots before your tree has a chance to establish its roots. My western cedar roots extend out to the edge of our garden and about every 3-4 years I have to go down about 2’ cutting off all those feeder roots to prohibit their invasion into my garden where they quickly outgrowth any other plants. With some good planning you will find a way too!
So good luck in your New Year endeavor! The type of Ramil soil you need for fruit trees is best found under older fruit trees where the fungal relationships are well established, by borrowing some of that soil you can easily innoculate your new tree woodchip bed.
Dennis
Kent, wa
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