Old timer told me to skip the root barrier on a silver maple...

He said it would just cause more trouble than it was worth, that the roots would find a way around it anyway. Two years later and that maple is pushing up the driveway something fierce, just like he warned. Has anyone else had root barriers that just didn't do the job?

2 comments

2 Comments

noah91716d ago

Man that old timer knew what he was talking about. Root barriers are basically a scam for trees like silver maples. I had one installed by a "professional" and within four years the roots had somehow gotten under and around it and buckled my patio. They just grow sideways and find the path of least resistance. Worse yet, I think the barrier actually made the roots go deeper and hit my sewer line. Cost me a ton in plumbing repairs. Those roots are absolutely relentless, they don't care about a piece of plastic in their way. Honestly would have been better off just planting the tree further from the driveway and accepting it's gonna spread.

jessicaw5416d ago

Wait, don't you think a properly installed barrier with the right material can actually work if you cut the roots yearly to prevent them from getting around it? I've seen plenty of setups where the tree is still fine and the patio's been good for over a decade.