I've painted trees w/ full strength latex and not noticed any problems. I have seen fissures in the paint, but I've not noticed any problems from it. I quit painting trees several years ago. We don't get cold or snowy enough winters to experience SW injury. I do get some sun scald on the tops of scaffolds if I open the trees up to much during the hot summer. I've found vigor will heal anything but the most severe bark injury in my area. We had a terrible hail storm this spring which chewed up the bark badly. Most of the trees already have the wounds closed up. Re:DDT I can live without it, but it really wasn't responsible for decimating the American Eagle. Eagle population was dangerously low before widespread use of DDT. Eagles and other large predatory birds were considered pests in the early 1900s. Farmers/ranchers would shoot them on sight. DDT did destroy their eggs, but people hunting them was their biggest blight.

Yes, Aspen will grow in 7a. There are different kinds of Aspen though examples would be quaking aspen and bigtooth aspen. The bigtooth aspen lives much longer so I would suggest that one if you can find it. Also be aware that white birch you are probably thinking of is not native to the united states so it might not be able to compete with the white pine. I think the american paper birch is a better fit here. Also, you should know that all trees get diseases. However, a good soil can improve the trees ability to fight them off. So give your trees a good dose of compost after planting them.

I think I read it will grow back from the stump. That I should wait and see a bunch come up and then cut it down to one or two shoots and let those grow? Just curious would it have worked better to try and grow it from a stump if the 'stump' was a 10' trunk?

So it seems the consensus is that removing these roots, or some of these roots, will have an affect on the tree. It is not clear as to whether removal of all of the roots would have a negative impact. If roots are removed, I can expect that the tree may suffer, but without a doubt, it will be aggressive in its root growth to compensate for the loss. I would find another area to garden in if I had a better one. Native plants have been suggested. But my love is with hostas and, as my mother-in-law used to say, "where there is a will, there is a way!" I think I have decided to remove one, if not two, roots at most. I will initially plant some small hostas with some of them in small spin out bags. We can see what next year brings. When it comes to gardening, I have learned is that one can never really count on one's plan coming to fruition. My hope is that as I move further away from the tree, I will find less roots. But I am not counting on that! As I have found my passion in garden, my property has been a disappointment and a struggle in many ways. But so far I have been up for the challenge. Bill, you mentioned frequent watering is required under birch and maple trees. So true! The area becomes bone dry so quickly. dbarron, I agree that the roots of the birch are very clever. They just know where the moisture is. So watering just the plants doesn't work. We know that now, but we didn't know it in the early stages of growth of this tree. But hostas are not out for the long run! No way! "A really tough spot you have there nhl." Thank you Bill. I gladly accept some empathy in this situation! Ken, I won't forget---water and fertilize the tree along with the plants! I am not sure why you were "wondering more about the fact that your tree looks telephone poled ... i wonder where the root flare is ..." Embothrium, birch trees work with gardens for 15 years! Wish I know that before! As for the other birch tree that appears damaged, I am not so sure that it was the added soil that caused stress to this tree. That tree was mature when we purchased the house 35 years ago. I think it is an aging tree and the ice storm we had several years ago broke some of its branches and stressed it out. (To the right is the white paper birch. To the left is the "damaged" tree. "I find it very unlikely that any municipality would tell property owners they cannot cut down hazard or otherwise failing trees." First of all, the city hires its own workers and they remove city trees on personal property. I don't believe the city considers this tree a hazard. They might consider it a failing tree, but they will not remove it until the decline is more advanced. And when that day comes---get this---I must replace the tree and choose from a limited list of trees of similar size! Those are the rules! Thanks all. You've be very kind to share your thoughts and knowledge.