harryhh
Cool Member
Posts: 68
Joined: Wed Jul 31, 2013 10:38 am
Location: Northcentral Illinois, Zone 5a

Will covering exposed roots harm trees?

At the apartment building where I live there are two pine trees and one maple tree with slightly exposed roots from erosion. It isn't very bad. The worst of it is a pine with one third of the diameter of a few roots exposed.

In a few places the roots are being hit by the mower. I want to add soil and even this out and plant dense shade grass seed.

Just wondering if covering the exposed roots will harm the tree.

Thanks.
Harry

PaulF
Greener Thumb
Posts: 910
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2010 5:34 pm
Location: Brownville, Ne

Not normally. It is better to have the roots covered than to allow them to be damaged by a mower. So long as the base of the tree does not get covered very much with soil or mulch. Even grass meant for dense shade often does not do well. You might start thinking of something besides turf for around your trees just in case.

harryhh
Cool Member
Posts: 68
Joined: Wed Jul 31, 2013 10:38 am
Location: Northcentral Illinois, Zone 5a

Thank you Paul,

I did a test with shade grass last year, and it looks like it will grow is some areas but probably not in the most shaded places. So I'll put seed down and hope for the best.

I agree that something different is needed. The building management had a landscaper come out to put in a bid for a flowerbed and landscaping under the trees. When the the estimate got to $10,000 they just quit counting. This just wasn't going to happen. So, grass seed.

Thanks,
Harry



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