I would like to put an acer palmatum in a spot about two metres from the corner of the house and a similar distance from where the perimeter drain is buried on the way to the storm drain. There is a slope in the lawn which would put the tree about 1.5 to 2 metres above the depth of the pipe. The tree is about 2 metres tall now. Does anyone know if the roots will make it to the drain pipe as the tree matures? I would like to plant something tall-ish in that spot - good feng shui and all - and the maple seems to be the right scale.
Japanese maple roots are fairly shallow and shouldn't affect a pipe which is two metres deep Would this area be too wet though? They need well drained soil
Hello whis4ey. The location has the best drainage on my lot, if dense clay can be said to drain in the winter (ironic laughter). That portion of the yard is slightly elevated, and the spot I'm thinking of is maybe a metre from a bit of a slope. It might be a bit exposed for a JM, it can get windy and there is afternoon sun, on the other hand my neighbor has a bloodgood right out in the open as well and it looks great.
If your soil is dense clay then plant it high and mound the soil up around the base of the tree Good luck
Just recieved my Lee Valley newsletter in which I found this tip: as a rule of thumb, the root system of a tree = 1/2 its height at maturity. The writer was talking about how far apart to plant trees and shrubs, so I assume this is a lateral spread. I know, plants vary as to the type of roots, deep tap root vs. shallow root pan. (Interesting to look at blow-downs in local parks...) It is often easy to learn whether a tree is shallow or deep rooted, butthis is the first hint I've seen of how to figure root spread. Thought I'd pass it along.
