Calling all the armchair arborists

[HawkinsHollow]

I've learned my lesson about building permanent structures under "beautiful" oak trees. What a mistake.

Can you elaborate? It is what it is at this point. I have 3 choices; cut the tree down, move or put the addition on. I am choosing option C.

 

[workinonit]

Yes. I made a valiant attempt to save all of the oak trees around my house. Oaks shed tons of leaves which aren't very good on the roofing. They also drop tons of limbs which aren't very good on the roof. But the roots are the worse. They will tear up foundations. The limbs on my trees also rubbed the shingle edges on the roof and destroyed the shingles. I had to remove all of the ones close to the house and now I have 5 or so that are going to have to go around my shop. I could have cut them myself for free early on but I had to spend several thousand to have them removed after they had gotten so big. That tree you're in love with will end up costing you big in the long run.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Yes. I made a valiant attempt to save all of the oak trees around my house. Oaks shed tons of leaves which aren't very good on the roofing. They also drop tons of limbs which aren't very good on the roof. But the roots are the worse. They will tear up foundations. The limbs on my trees also rubbed the shingle edges on the roof and destroyed the shingles. I had to remove all of the ones close to the house and now I have 5 or so that are going to have to go around my shop. I could have cut them myself for free early on but I had to spend several thousand to have them removed after they had gotten so big. That tree you're in love with will end up costing you big in the long run.

I see your point and I am sorry your trees have caused you so much grief and heartache.

Luckily this one is not close enough to the house to rub on anything. Limbs do concern me, but we have been actively pruning them to help minimize that risk. Leaves are just a fact of life here in the Southeast. And as far as roots this is an OLD and well established tree, that was here well before the house was built. I do not think it is creating much more root structure at this point. Luckily the majority of the branches and the slight lean of the tree is in a best case scenario direction away from my house and my neighbors.

Basically it would cost me thousands to take this tree down now and I would not be able to live with myself. I would also lose hours of energy saving shade all summer long. If it dies or becomes an issue in the future it will cost me the same thousands to take it down. I am going to take the risk.

 

[2manyrocks]

My Mother had a large oak tree near the porch of her home. Acorns would drop onto the porch roof. The mice carried the acorns into her house and tried to take over.

It was a beautiful tree, but large branches were starting to fall off onto the roof of her house. Oak leaves filled the gutters repeatedly in the fall. I ended up paying a tree service to remove it. I hated cutting that tree.

I wouldn't want to put gravel in my yard as a means of solving a water problem. Is there any other realistic alternative of solving the water problem?

 

[HawkinsHollow]

My Mother had a large oak tree near the porch of her home. Acorns would drop onto the porch roof. The mice carried the acorns into her house and tried to take over.

It was a beautiful tree, but large branches were starting to fall off onto the roof of her house. Oak leaves filled the gutters repeatedly in the fall. I ended up paying a tree service to remove it. I hated cutting that tree.

I wouldn't want to put gravel in my yard as a means of solving a water problem. Is there any other realistic alternative of solving the water problem?

The water problems are going to be solves by creative drainage solutions. The gravel is for the short term mud problems.

 

[2manyrocks]

It's still wet where I am in Middle Tennessee, but the ground will dry hard as concrete in a few months.

I really would try to avoid using gravel in my yard as a short term solution to mud. Could you use temporarily use sawmill slabs to cover the mud and then remove them once the area dries out?

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I have lived with this tree for 8 years and so far it has not cause me any grief yet, only hours and hours of energy(read money) saving shade. I do not plan on taking it out unless it gets sick or compromised in some way.

 

[2manyrocks]

A little mud isn't the end of the world. Every job site has it.

 

[jyoutz]

I have lived with this tree for 8 years and so far it has not cause me any grief yet, only hours and hours of energy(read money) saving shade. I do not plan on taking it out unless it gets sick or compromised in some way.

The best bet in keeping it healthy is to avoid disturbing the ground under the drip line. Any changes to soil grade or adding anything under the drip line will kill the roots in the impacted area.

 

[bigtiller]

How about spreading a few pallets around the work area?