The first question's the easiest to answer: No, they don't "need" to be removed. It all depends on you and your goals for the remaining trees and property.

Without pics, it's hard to get a real good feel for your situation. I'd not be worried at all about roots from trees that are there now and might not be there later if you remove them. What would change? Sure, the roots would rot eventually if the trees are cut down, but that ain't no thang.

Again, without pics, I don't know if you 'should' plant anything under the pines, if and when the junk trees are gone. But you could!

+oM

PS......I'm glad you are trying to do what's best for those pine trees. I probably would too in your situation.

you dont 'need' to do anythign for a giant tree ...

and that is because it is a giant.. and it didnt get that way.. worrying about what is under it ...

the problem under giants.. is that the soil is usually rather barren .. and with the giant.. extremely dry ... and getting new stuff 'established' s usually a problem ...

i need a picture to go any further

and answer why you have to remove what is there ... you dont have enough problems to fix.. w/o starting another?? .. lol

ken

Let us answer the planting question first using the example of the existing offending vegetation...if it were impossible to for things to grow under larger trees...how'd they get there in the first place. so yes, you can plant things that will be more controlled in their growth and pleasing to the eye.

as far as taking the scrub out, most likely the larger trees will thank you for it. the one addendum to this is that if you cut them down and treat the stumps with round up or something else (not a bad idea to prevent regrowth) there is a chance that the scrub trees you want to remove and the evergreens you want to keep have form graft unions where roots have grown together and might cause injury to those trees. just some thing to be aware of.

as far as planting under larger trees goes...large trees have large roots systems capable of outcompeting smaller plants for resources...in this case we are basically talking about water. fortunately a few thousand yeats ago cultures with much less mechanical technology at their command discovered what is called irrigation. somehow I think we still have rough equivelant.

Root grafting is nearly always confined to like species thereby excluding grafts between deciduous privet and pines. A forest of live oak, for example, would be expected to share many root grafts. This is how some diseases spread rapidly in an old established forest. Oak wilt has taken a great toll on Live Oaks in Texas in part by spreading this way.

Someone please correct me if I am wrong on this.

John

For optimum pine timber growth, pine trees are usually spaced about 12-15' apart and harvested in the 12-18" diameter size range. The bigger the tree, the more the separation space for optimum tree health. While 2 or even 3 can be left closer together, they should have some distance before there are more trees so as not to over-stress them. I would probably leave the big ones and thin some some of others out.

John has it right. Putting round up on privet stumps would not affect the pines via any root contact.

Thank you so much for the feedback; I really appreciate it. We were a bit skeptical when a couple tree services told us the other stuff all needed to come out ASAP to prevent the pines from attacking our house - of course they wanted the work. It is very reassuring to hear several voices say otherwise. I took some pictures of the area to give you a better idea of the situation. Please take a look if you don't mind. I know it's a bit difficult to tell what everything is but I promise there are 2 big pines in there! Thanks again in advance.

General area:
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General area:
{{gwi:346688}}

Tree growing at SE base of larger pine:
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Same tree, a little further up:
{{gwi:346690}}

Same tree, from N looking S:
{{gwi:346691}}

Base of larger pine, from N looking S:
{{gwi:346693}}

Swampy region in front (N) part of area:
{{gwi:346695}}

I am always fascinated by the different forest types when they are posted on here. That looks awesome just as is to me! But when you clear it out, it will be much for functional and still a beautiful place.

The only advice I would give would be: Don't have a bunch of heavy equipment out there compressing the soil in the root zone of the pines (think dozers and such although I won't even the tractor and brush hog go in the dripline of my big trees). Remove and roundup everything you don't want.

John

Go slow, identify what you have (use the Name that Plant forum here if necessary) and take out a bit at a time. Privet definitely is a bad one - not native, not helpful and way too aggressive. You do have some other things in there, not sure what they are though.

And ditto on the heavy equipment or you just might lose the trees in the end.