The extensive root growth of Norway maple as a flat root sometimes reaches its limits in the home garden. You can put the urge to spread in its place so that the strong root strands do not lift paved areas, bump into walls or cheekily invade the neighbour's garden. You can find out how the plan works here.
The Norway maple should already be planted with a root barrier
Root barrier shows Norway maple the limits - This is how it works
A look at his profile reveals that Norway maple with a growth height of 30 meters is a first-class tree. You can keep the associated root growth in check by planting an Acer platanoides with a root barrier. This is an almost indestructible geotextile (€107.71) that you can integrate into the planting process like this:
- The planting hole is at least 50 cm deep and twice as wide as the root ball
- Use the root barrier along the edge of the pit
- At the overlap, connect the two ends with an aluminum rail in a rupture-proof manner
To prevent the shallow roots from overcoming the barrier, the geotextile should protrude 5 to 10 cm above the ground. With the help of a ground-covering underplanting, you can hide the little decorative plastic from view.
Subsequent installation of a root barrier is possible, although this involves a great deal of effort. It is necessary to cut off the root runners with the spade. Then dig a narrow, 50 cm deep trench. This is where you put the root barrier. Finally, a pruning is required to compensate for the lost root mass.
Seedlings cannot be stopped by root blocks
Regardless of your precautions to contain root growth with a dam, your Norway maple has another trick up its sleeve for spreading. Its winged seeds fly in droves through the garden and germinate happily everywhere. Therefore, keep a regular lookout for sprouts in order to pull them out of the ground in good time.
tips
Do your roots get in the way when you want to decoratively plant a Norway maple or its famous descendant, the spherical maple? Then there is nothing wrong with cutting away interfering root strands on a well-rooted tree. An Acer platanoides can easily get over the loss of a maximum of one third of its near-surface root mass.