With slow growth, tree roots lull the gardener into security and unnoticed turn into a nuisance. A tree stump with epic long strands of roots, it takes decades to decompose. Individual specimens grow boldly over the property line, lift up paving stones or cause expensive structural damage. Sooner or later every amateur gardener is faced with the question: how to remove tree roots? This guide explains how to do it right.

Machine removal is the quickest, but also the most expensive

Table of Contents

Show all
  1. the essentials in brief
  2. How to remove tree roots?
  3. Removing tree roots instructions
  4. dying tree roots
  5. Shorten problem roots
  6. Tree roots disposal tips
  7. Decorate tree roots
  8. frequently asked Questions

    9. the essentials in brief

    • Good methods for removing tree roots include digging, tilling, composting, and allowing to die.
    • Excessively long roots can be shortened from a safety distance of 8 times the diameter of the trunk.
    • Specialist companies dispose of large tree roots in green waste containers. Small tree roots accept composting plants.

    How do you remove tree roots? - Options at a glance

    Tree felling is just the prologue when you remove a tree from the garden. The remaining stump with its expansive long tree roots represents the real challenge. In fact, the natural decomposition process in the wood takes up to 10 years. During this time, tree roots continue to grow happily and cause serious damage. Laying out beds or sowing lawns on root-covered ground is not possible. By removing all tree roots, the way is clear for a new garden design. If individual tree roots cause you headaches, a spirited root cut will solve the problem. The following table summarizes common options for expertly removing tree roots:

    method method advantage disadvantage
    Remove manually dig out inexpensive exhausting
    Remove mechanically mill uncomplicated expensive
    accelerate decomposition cut open, scatter compost biological tedious
    let it die bring in salt Reliable tedious
    shorten Cut off long roots tree is preserved Post-treatment required

    Burning out is not recommended if you want to remove tree roots. This method involves numerous risks for people, animals and nature. With a drill, (97.00€) saw or ax the wood is opened in several places down to the ground. A special mixture of petroleum and saltpeter is filled into the cracks or holes. This paste is ignited to burn out the stump and roots from the inside out. With this method, which is harmful to the climate and the environment, there is a risk that the fire will continue to burn uncontrollably as a smoldering fire underground. Furthermore, the charred wooden parts do not rot or only very slowly.

    The following video provides a compact overview of proven methods on how to properly remove tree roots:

    youtube

    Removing tree roots manually - step-by-step instructions

    Tree roots with a stump of up to 30 centimeters in diameter can be removed by hand. The required tools are part of the standard equipment in the hobby garden. The following instructions explain step by step how to skilfully remove tree roots with a good portion of muscle wax:

    tool and material requirements

    • sharp spade
    • water hose or high-pressure cleaner
    • Ax or root saw
    • Winch, pulley or jack
    • working gloves

    Step-by-step instructions

    1. Cut the tree down to a stump 1.50 m high
    2. Expose all tree roots with a spade and a sharp jet of water
    3. Cut through the fine roots while digging
    4. Cut thick tree roots with an ax or root saw
    5. Move the stump back and forth with both hands
    6. lift the stump out of the ground using a cable winch, pulley block or jack
    7. Dig up remaining tree root pieces
    8. Fill in the bottom hole with a mixture of topsoil and compost

    If you have a tiller available, you can alternatively crush the tree stump together with the tree roots without digging on site. The practical device for removing tree roots is simply attached and immediately turns the wood into mulch. (€239.00) Because it is not worth investing in an expensive stump grinder for hobby gardeners, numerous machine rental companies offer the devices for rent at a reasonable daily rate.

    Manually removing a tree root is an exhausting task

    dying tree roots

    Do you hate strenuous excavation work? Alternatively, with a lot of patience and the right remedy, you can let tree roots die off. The following two methods work without chemical poison and have proven themselves extremely well in the hobby garden:

    Accelerate decomposition - compost tree roots

    Saw off the tree stump directly above the ground. Take a chainsaw and cut the stump like a checkerboard. At the tree roots, use a wood drill to drill deep holes in the wood in several places. Fill the openings with fresh compost. The fungal spores and microorganisms contained in it immediately get to work and decompose the wood. The addition of compost accelerator works wonders and provides the busy microorganisms with new energy.

    Destroy tree roots with salt

    Tree roots have an aversion to certain types of salt. Epsom salt, also known as epsomite, and rock salt dissolve wood into its components in no time at all. In order for the salt to develop its devastating effect, drill holes in the tree roots that reach to the ground, 1-2 centimeters apart. Fill the openings two-thirds full with the salt. Then seal the drill holes with liquid candle wax. Covering tree roots and tree stump with a black tarp will further speed up the decomposition process.

    Shorten problem roots

    Stubborn roots can be cut back in the ground

    Sometimes damage is caused by isolated, overly long root strands. In most cases, tree roots push up the pavement of paths and areas, creating dangerous tripping hazards. In this case, the entire tree with the stump and roots does not have to give way. It is enough to cut the roots of the problem. The best tool is a special saw for tree roots, which you can buy in specialist shops with and without an electric drive. A proven rule of thumb tells you how far away from the trunk you can cut a problem root. The following brief instructions explain how to properly shorten a tree root:

    apply rule of thumb

    1. Place the ruler at the root of the tree
    2. Rule of thumb: trunk diameter x 8 = minimum distance from the interface to the trunk
    3. Mark interface

    Please note: A tree is doomed if it loses more than a quarter of its root mass in one fell swoop.

    Shorten tree roots

    1. Expose the tree root with a spade
    2. Cut off the measured root strand with a root saw or pruning shears
    3. Work on and smooth the cut with a sharp knife (please disinfect the blade beforehand)
    4. treat damaged tree roots
    5. Fill in the exposed root strand, ideally with ripe, sieved compost, and water

    Treat damaged tree roots with a wound sealant, also known as tree wax.(12.96€) From a diameter of 2 centimeters, this follow-up treatment is advisable to support the healing process. It is important to note that you only apply the product to the edges of the wound and leave the center of the cut untreated.

    Dispose of tree roots - tips & tricks

    Large tree roots take up a lot of storage space in the garden, which is not available for beds and seating. If you don't want to wait for the root residue to dissolve by itself, you have the choice of these disposal options:

    • Commission a specialist company for the delivery and removal of a green waste container
    • Crush or chop tree roots and transport them to the composting plant with your own trailer
    • Foresters in town ask for a permitted storage area for deadwood

    As long as you take care of the disposal yourself, there are no or only low costs. If, on the other hand, you have a specialist company transport a green waste container to and from you, disposal will cost you an average of 200 euros for a 3 cubic meter container.

    digression

    Taboo in the natural garden - chemical agents

    For hobby gardeners with a natural garden, chemical agents against tree roots are not an option. Killing tree roots with acid can, at worst, affect the entire garden. Myriads of industrious microorganisms lose their lives under the influence of hydrochloric acid. Deadly poisonous to irreplaceable soil organisms when copper sulfate is used to kill tree roots.

    Decorate tree roots instead of disposing of them

    A tree stump can also be planted decoratively

    Creative hobby gardeners do not buy expensive decorative tree roots. From her imaginative point of view, disused tree roots become representative planters with natural charm. The following ideas may inspire you to create floral root art in the garden:

    • Place a planter with seasonal flowers on the tree stump
    • Decorate tree roots with succulents, periwinkle, ivy or nasturtium
    • Hollow out tree stump and thick roots, fill in potting soil and plant geraniums, petunias or marigolds

    Instead of removing tree roots in the lawn, make a virtue out of necessity and plant grass over the root strands. To do this, cover the roots with a 10 centimeter thick layer of compost and sand. Lay pieces of rolled turf over it or sow lawn seeds.

    tips

    Structural damage caused by tree roots is poison for a good neighborhood. Experts from R+V insurance for neighbor law expressly point out that tree owners are liable for damage caused by tree roots on the neighboring property. If the roots in question are not removed within a reasonable period of time, the damaged neighbor may cut the tree roots himself and charge the tree owner for the effort.

    frequently asked Questions

    Can you remove tree roots with salt?

    Yes, you can do this with Epsom salt or rock salt. Drill holes in the tree roots, 1 to 2 centimeters apart, reaching to the ground. Fill the openings two-thirds full with salt. Then seal the holes, for example with liquid wax. By additionally covering the root strands with dark foil, you can further accelerate the decomposition process in the wood. By the way, normal table salt is not suitable for killing tree roots.

    How do tree roots rot faster?

    With the help of compost accelerators, tree roots will rot faster

    So that tree roots rot faster, microorganisms and fungi provide valuable protection. Open the wood up to the bottom in several places. Fill the openings with a mixture of semi-rotted compost and compost accelerator. Each spring, refresh the organic fill until the tree roots have dissolved into good will.

    Who removes tree roots? What is the cost of removing it?

    Specialists in gardening and landscaping have the necessary know-how and adequate machinery to remove tree roots correctly. On average, an hourly rate of 90 to 110 euros can be expected. There is usually a charge of around 50 euros for travel to and from the airport. Grinding with a stump grinder removes a normal-sized tree stump with roots within 60 minutes, so that the work costs around 140 to 160 euros. Digging out with a mini excavator is done within 45 minutes, but costs 170 to 210 euros because the stump and tree roots have to be disposed of afterwards.

    tips

    Deadwood is a source of life. This also applies to discarded tree roots. Thick, long root strands are perfect as a soil layer for a deadwood hedge. When you fill a raised bed with compost, crushed tree roots prevent waterlogging as the first filling step.

Category:

Trees