DogWood Tree

[Sharon Marie]

I have a dogwood tree that sits about 5 foot diag. to my home. It has grown up over my roof. I want to trim it fairly short. I've heard all kinds of answers from family / friends that tell me it will make the trunk and roots larger - posing risk to my foundation. I don't like that the tree sits so close to the home. We bought the home last July and I've got the landscaping and lawn looking great - now on with the tree care and maint.
Any suggestions?

[hendi_alex]

Dogwood trees are fairly shallow rooted and do not have large aggressive root fields like an oak or maple might have. I wouldn't worry about it and would trim the tree back as desired. Also, I have a couple dogwoods located on either side of a shade garden. Each year I run my tiller within about three feet of each tree. The tiller really does a number on most of the surface roots. It would seem to me that you could run a tiller between the tree and the house and disrupt most of the shallow roots going in that direction. If really concerned you could run a trencher a couple feet from the tree, on the house side. Maybe do that every two or three years to prune the roots back away from the house. Though I really don't believe that dogwood roots are likely to be aggressive enough to cause a foundation problem. I certainly wouldn't worry about such as that at my home, and I have 75 foot trees withing 25 feet of the house in two or three places. No foundation problems from any so far. Though we don't have a basement which could perhaps cause special consideration.

[valleytreeman]

I'm with Alex. I wouldn't be too concerned about the root system of a dogwood causing much problem with a foundation. They just are not agressive rooters. Trimming back should not cause any increased diameter or root growth. If any thing the reduction in crown area would tend to slow the growth. There will be an relative increase in diameter appearance or ratio to the size of the top, but that is simply due to the reduction in crown size makes it look that way.

[Sharon Marie]

Thanks! When we trim it.. do you have any suggestions? We can get on top of the roof and use a long cutter that we have.. how much is too much. Will more branches "appear" from where we've trimmed. I know nothing about trees. Thanks!!!