Can I cut this root

10 years ago

I'm planning to transplant some shrubs and there's a root right where I want to put one. It's about 2 inches in diameter, about 2-3 inches below the surface and about 6 feet from the tree. The tree trunk is about a foot in diameter. Unfortunately I don't know what kind of tree it is. Can I cut this root without hurting the tree?

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Comments (6)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
you know i used to ponder this... and spend a lot of time digging and cutting...

and then one day.. i just started enlarging.. the hole.. near the root.. until it was big enough for what i wanted to plant.. and planted it 6 or 8 inches .. slightly off center of where i thought it had to go ...

and found out it was a lot less work.. didnt harm the tree. and the spacing really didnt mean that much.. when all was said and done ...

do you really need it in that precise spot????

if you doing this for a client.. simple ask them if that spot is so important.. or do they want to potentially.. hurt the tree..

work smart.. not hard...

ken
IanW Zone 5 Ont. Can.
10 years ago
To answer your question.....yes, you can cut the root without harming the tree of that size.....It has other roots to supply what it needs, while it produces replacement feeder roots where you made your cut.....
I agree with ken because when you cut this root, it will produce new roots at that point and will interfer with the roots of the shrub.....competing for nutrients and moisture..
Better to relocate shrub to another spot if possible....
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mulchmama
10 years ago
My rule of thumb is, if I'm running into roots anywhere near that size, I rethink my placement of whatever it is I'm planting. I think you can have a tree and a shrub coexisting pretty well if they grow up together, but once you try to plant shrubs under a mature tree, you're pushing water uphill.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
yes!! .. mama... that is what i thought of later..

right now.. that root is inert ... all the competition roots are small and far away ...

which is good because they wont suck the life out of your new plant...

but you cut that thing... and it will start putting new competitive feeder roots.. right in your new plant... and things can die when that happens.. especially if its something like a maple ...

ken
yardworker1
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks for all the answers. Very helpful.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
what did you decide to do????

ken