pine/spruce trees and your grass

sarahbear

Hi, we bought our house last year and with it along with every other house on the block is spruce trees planted in the front of the yard. Something I think the town did (plant the trees) when the homes were built. The question I have is what can I do to try and keep or get the regrowth back under the trees? Also is there something to help the tree from losing so many needles?

Last year we endlessly raked the needles up and that seemed to help a bit but neverless and endless job.
Any ideas?

handy man88

Pull it out, and put something in that's a bit less high maintenance and isn't a threat to grow 10 ft/year and split your house in half or have it's roots burst into your foundation, utilities, or sewer pipe. Something like a japanese maple or birch would work.

sarahbear

I'd love to get rid of them too, but these trees are bigger than my house and the whole street and across from us is lined with them. Plus, I would think that cost would be quite high. With us being on the corner, I'm not sure how that would look. Also I'm not sure what the conditions are for keeping or removing them as I would assume the town probably planted them there when these houses were built. My house was built in 1962. They are not next to my house but just before the sidewalk but I do understand that roots grow everywhere. Is there some kind of food or fertilzer or something? Or maybe those would cause me more damage in the long run? Any other ideas??

handy man88

Roots go everywhere because in times of drought, the roots seek out water, and that's where your sewer pipe comes in.

razwick

Unfortunatly with most gymnosperms (piney type trees) regrowth at the base of a tree is not really an option. Once the area becomes shaded it isn't going to grow back. If there is ample sunlight a higher branch can and will grow, and as it becomes heavier it might reach the ground. It is paramount to understand that if you prune past the green portion of a gymnosperm it is not going to bud and start growing in the brown.

As for the It's true roots grow to water is, but they won't just randomly attack sewer pipes. the pipe has to already be leaking. I read the studies done on it when I was in college earning my Urban Forestry Degree, please don't ask me the document the research as it has been probably 10 years since I read the study. The problem isn't the tree, it is the leaky sewerpipe.

If it is a city street tree, it is probably property of the city. If it is within 13 feet of the road (the city right of way), and it looks like the whole neighborhood has the same tree it sounds like it is the cities tree. You can call them and have the city forester check it out, and get thier guidelines for pruning, and/or removal. It is going to depend on the city or township. It could be illegal for you to just remove the tree.

Water can help on losing needles, and sun. In periods of drought trees are going to drop leaves (needles) to survive. And without sun the needles are going to drop, as the leaves will not be viable.

If you want to keep the tree (A tough choice, but how soon will you get another tree as large) you could try and plant a bed underneath it, but know that the soil conditions are going to be more acidic then the rest of the yard because of the needles decomposing, so the plant will have to tolerate low light, and acidic soils, or mulch (that seems to be the answer around the world currently).