50 ft blue spruce tree - Ask Extension
Is it safe to cut Blue spruce roots growing 15-20 ft from trunk 0-3” thick. My son and me planted this tree in 1981 so it is of special Meaning.
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50 ft blue spruce tree #673828
Asked August 06, 2020, 9:45 PM EDT
Is it safe to cut Blue spruce roots growing 15-20 ft from trunk 0-3” thick. My son and me planted this tree in 1981 so it is of
special Meaning.
special Meaning.
County Outside United States
Expert Response
Hello,
Thank you for contacting "Ask an Expert."
The answer to your question depends on how much of the roots do you plan to cut. It it's more than 25%, I would start to consider other options. When trees lose more than 25% of their root base (or one-quarter piece of the root area around the tree) they can suffer from loss of water and nutrients, resulting in the tree being stressed. Once a tree is stressed, it is susceptible to drought, insect and disease damage.
If you have any questions, or would like to submit pictures, please feel free to reply to this thread or contact me directly using the information below.
Thank you,
Julie
Thank you for contacting "Ask an Expert."
The answer to your question depends on how much of the roots do you plan to cut. It it's more than 25%, I would start to consider other options. When trees lose more than 25% of their root base (or one-quarter piece of the root area around the tree) they can suffer from loss of water and nutrients, resulting in the tree being stressed. Once a tree is stressed, it is susceptible to drought, insect and disease damage.
If you have any questions, or would like to submit pictures, please feel free to reply to this thread or contact me directly using the information below.
Thank you,
Julie
Sincere thanks for your prompt response. Will definitely heed your advise. I
