rotten root?

[Mini]

Hello,

I have to remove a few of the roots for our neighbour's wretched cherry tree because they are beginning to cause damage to our property. I have been digging down under the roots which are very close to the surface. and they all seem healthy, and 3" to 4" in diameter, but there is at least one deeper and far bigger, and very soft root. I also intend to prune the tree back to the fence, which means cutting off the main first branch off the tree eventually. First we will begin with anything overhanging our garage roof, some fifteen foot up.

However, being a novice gardener I do not know if the big softer root is normal or if I am supposed to paint anything on the ends of the roots still joined to the tree. I know there is a product to paint onto a tree after removing branches.


So do roots need any TLC after pruning?
Is the very big soft root normal and can I cut this away from the tree?

And when we prune the main tree do we need to buy and paint the stuff on the fresh stubs or do we just invite our neighbour to do it?

All advice welcome,

Mini

[bullthistle]

If you get along with your neighbor it might be a good idea to consult with him first. That cherry might be his pride and joy. It is a good idea to limb the branches that flow into your yard and yes painting any wounds is a good idea because you don't want the tree to wind up dead next year and have a law suit on your hands. It might be a good idea to consult with an arborist.

[Mini]

Thanks.

This sounds petty, but I just don't see why we have to pay out for stuff for a tree we find an absolute nuisance. Despite asking several times the neighbour refuses to maintain it. We the have tried to be very reasonable over several issues, but he is not. Wretched man even argued when we asked him to pay half the repair of a window his son's put a football through. tree.

It has lifted our path, and we have cracks in our garage.
The roots spoil the look of the lawn.
A friend of my daughter has tripped over them, as have my kids over the years.
We get very little sunshine in the garden because this tree has been allowed to grow to 40 foot high.
We have to regularly feed the lawn because it absorbs all the nuitrients.
We get most of the leave and cherry fall out to clear up.

I know that we have to be careful about the neighbours taking legal procedings. I am being very careful to stick to the laws of the land?

Is the soft root anything to worry about? I accidently dug the spade into it and pulled a chunk away before I realised what it was. The spade is not a sharp implement, and I am not at all strong.

mini

[bullthistle]

I have a neighbor like yours. I would just be careful about trimming anything because one never knows the mentality of the court system because the judge could be a loser like your neighbor. I would do a little each year instead of massive pruning. Actually why don't you contact the politicians where you live and see what they think. Most places have code enforcement although where I live they are basically useless. It could be construed as a nuisance if you get the right person. I think going that route you protect yourself even though most bureaucrats are clueless but it might be worth the hastle to get an opinion. Don't expect a miracle though because what some view as proper others can be construed at 180 degrees. It all depends if there head is in the right place.

[applestar]

It would be a good idea to contact your state/county agricultural extension and find out when to avoid pruning a cherry tree so as not to cause disease/pest infestation, and when is the best time to prune to control size and spread. Although most trees are pruned while dormant, cherry requires late winter rather than early spring pruning due to heavy sap bleeding and bark slipping. I'm actually thinking late June~mid July is the best summer pruning time (at least in my area) but the timing differs by locality and climate. I also stumbled upon late fall pruning for my apple tree that worked out very well, but I have no idea if that applies to cherries as well.

The usual injunction is not to cut off more than 1/3 of any branch and no more than 1/3 of the entire tree at a time.

[Mini]

Here in the uk I have the legal right to prune any plant 'trespassing' on my land as long as it does not have a TPO on it. However, you do have to offer the owner of the plants anything that you have removed. Also I am not allowed to use any herbicde or deliberately kill the plant. I am not trying to do that.

This tree has no TPO, and it is spoiling our garden, and our enjoyment of our garden. Now My children are grown, I want to grow veggies and sit in the sun and read. Removing the roots that are on the surface means we can relay a flat footpath and lawn for my Mother in law, and halt the subsidence of the garage before it becomes dangerous. Growing your veggies in pots is somewhat limiting.

Anyhow since he has just dug a great hole for a swimming pool within the root spread area I can't see anything he would have to say would be taken seriously by the courts. He is also breaking Tree Preservation Orders with his present construction. He is supposed to fence around his beautiful oaks to protect them, and he has not done this.

I am just worried because the big root I need to dispose of is incedibly soft, and not knowing about roots, want to know if the tree is already suffering, because that would not be a good time to prune everything right back.

I want the tree under control, removing the roots is an evil necessity, the main branch over our land will give us sunlight, and stop it overhanging our garage.