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Sun 5 Jun, 2005 09:32 pm
I am trying to figure out what I should do about my lifting driveway. I don't want to spend the big bucks on having it re-done. I was thinking about burning the root out from underneath the slab. I'm not stupid I know this would involve some risk, but I don't think I would make matters worse. I know I'm a cheep SOB I'm just trying to get the job done with out breaking the bank. Please give me some input, just take it easy on me. Thanks for reading.
Re: Driveway lifting from root invasion.
joesfly wrote:I am trying to figure out what I should do about my lifting driveway. I don't want to spend the big bucks on having it re-done. I was thinking about burning the root out from underneath the slab. I'm not stupid I know this would involve some risk, but I don't think I would make matters worse. I know I'm a cheep SOB I'm just trying to get the job done with out breaking the bank. Please give me some input, just take it easy on me. Thanks for reading.
That's not being cheap, Joe, that's being smart, ecological and a few other positive adjectives to boot.
I don't see any need to burn out what's already there. Can't you just can't the root at the edge of the driveway? A dead root can't grow anymore.
That root may be important for the tree to stand up. Or not a vital one. A certified arborist can answer that, and may have a suggestion regarding the root removal, or, I suppose, tree removal.
ossobuco wrote:That root may be important for the tree to stand up. Or not a vital one. A certified arborist can answer that, and may have a suggestion regarding the root removal, or, I suppose, tree removal.
Good point, Ossobuco. An uplifted driveway may seem small potatoes compared to a major dent in the house.
Well, it really depends on the root. The tree may have a strong taproot and not miss that one, or miss it somewhat, or be surface rooted and need it badly... or not.
There are various companies that make root barriers, which one installs near pavement, so that roots go down, when planting a tree near pavement to start with. And even those rootbarriers have various pros and cons. I don't know myself if a severed root will then make new roots which then could go deeper than the barrier, thus keeping the tree if the tree needed that root.
We don't know the condition of the tree, how long or short lived it is.
I have some expertise re trees, but the more I have the more I don't know and knowledge is to some extent local in a situation like this. A hour or two pay to an arborist can be cheap relative to other stuff.
Quote:I am trying to figure out what I should do about my lifting driveway. I don't want to spend the big bucks on having it re-done. I was thinking about burning the root out from underneath the slab. I'm not stupid I know this would involve some risk, but I don't think I would make matters worse.
You needn't worry. You will not be able to get a live root to burn anyway, especially if it's under the driveway. First you would need to cut the root's connection to the tree so that it will die and dry out. That will also stop the damage from increasing though it won't reverse what has already been done. After that you can inject the root with chemicals that cause it to essentially rot very rapidly (available form plant nurseries for use on stumps)
Of course this may cause the tree to die.
Nothing is ever as easy as it seems, is it?
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