Most people know that tree roots stabilize a tree. However, that is only part of their job. Most people don't realize that roots absorb oxygen out of the soil. Tree roots absorb air, water and nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus from the soil then convey these elements to the rest of the tree. All of these are essential for the trees growth and overall health. Tree roots also store starches that are produced during the growing season.

It is very unusual for roots to physically break drains and associated pipe work. However, tree roots are opportunistic and if an old pipe with poor joints is leaking into the surrounding soil this will attract the roots that may then exploit the existing weakness. Then, when repairs are required, a proliferation of tree roots often leads to the blame being placed with a nearby tree.

Build decking or benching around trees, to relieve pressure on the roots. Install other plants around the base of the tree to divert traffic. Put in more trees and spread out the love!

The growth characteristics of many species is to develop surface roots. Silver maples are one example. Many times, surface roots occur when the tree roots are looking for water, the soil is too hard, or the soil is saturated with water. Surface roots can impact sidewalks and driveways.

Generally, tree roots get into sewer lines because they are old and leaking and need to be replaced or repaired. It is rare that tree roots will crush a sewer line. If this occurs, please call the Urban Forest Section to have someone inspect the damage.

Tree roots can normally grow to that of two and one-half times the height of the tree. The area under the canopy of the tree is commonly referred to as the critical root zone. The amount of critical root zone lost is directly related to the amount of die-back in the crown of the tree. In an oak tree, if more than 30 percent of the critical root zone is lost, the tree will die. However, soft wood trees, such as box elder, can tolerate far more root disturbance.

The land area over which water flows to reach a river, lake, or reservoir from which drinking water is drawn is called the watershed. Any pollution or contamination introduced into the watershed area will ultimately affect the quality of the drinking water supply, so it is important that we protect these areas.

No, the wetting and drying of the clay soil causes the initial cracks. After these have developed, tree roots will grow into the cracks for moisture.

Roots grow toward water vapor or moisture, by a continuous process (hydrotropism) occurring at the very end of the root. The root grows one cell at a time enabling it to enter the small cracks and joints, which may be present in your pipe. After a root enters a pipe, it divides hundreds of times to form a large mass of tender root ends. This root mass will accumulate a thick coating of grease which will collect up on the root mass until a blockage occurs.

No. In six years of controlled use, there has been no indication of damage caused from the spike or cross member entering the root ball. Any piercing will, at worst, cause the roots to grow around the impediment.

Cracks in the driveway may be caused by water and age in addition to roots. PBC Forestry recommends that the surface be removed so the roots can be inspected before condemning a tree. Frequently the cracks are caused by small surface roots that can be removed prior to the new surface being laid.

Tree roots are opportunistic. While they will not crack a sound sewer service or water line, they will exploit cracks or failures in the lines. The best defense against having tree roots in lines is to make sure that your lines are in good condition and that they're not cracked. If you suspect that tree roots are growing into your sewer line, you can have the roots cut out using a process called "rodding".

Tree roots do not cause drains or sewer pipes to break, but they will invade and clog drains that have pre-existing cracks and resultant leakage. Drains are usually six to eight feet below ground level, while tree roots grow almost exclusively in the upper two feet of soil, because they not only need nutrients, but also oxygen to survive.

Tree roots will certainly contribute to sidewalk failure, but they are not the initial cause of heaving. There are a number of factors that contribute to sidewalk failure: the method of sidewalk construction, type of soil under and surrounding the sidewalk, proximity of the sidewalk to the tree's buttress roots, and others. There are several things that can be done to repair the sidewalk and maintain the health of the tree.

No! Whilst many “ home doctors” may tell you they do, there is absolutely no truth to this. Corns and callous generally occur due to friction and do not grow from roots. See our common conditions section for a full explanation.

Storms in all shapes and forms create havoc with trees throughout the country. It’s bad enough losing a big tree, but the greatest danger in a storm is the property damage and casualties that can occur when big trees fall. Preparing trees for these natural disasters is a must and should be done well in advance of the stormy season. To help ease these dangers, have a professional arborist evaluate your trees. Doing this will help you determine potential weaknesses and dangers.

Cutting the roots of any tree is generally ill-advised as it may affect the tree's health and stability. If a tree is covered by a Tree Preservation Order, or if it stands in a Conservation Area an application will be required before root pruning can take place. The application form is available here (PDF, 281K).

The detection of rocks can be due either to your detector's ground adjust not being set correctly so that typical 'hot rocks' are ignored, or to the rock that you have just found being a truly positive reading mineral sample. Hot rocks are iron ores or magnetite, which are 'negative' with respect to normal ground signals. Their intensities can vary considerably, which makes setting the detector to get rid of all of them a little tricky.

Only roots that are completely dead. Roots enter sewer pipes seeking the rich organic food supplied by the build-up. As roots feed on the waste they grow, branch out and eventually restrict flow. Periodic use of enough BIO-CLEAN and water to reach the root area will eliminate the waste they seek. In this manner, the use of BIO-CLEAN discourages root growth in sewers.

If a tree is growing well, a survival mechanism is to explore the soil for supplies of oxygen, nutrients and water. It is our belief that tree roots do not cause sanitary line leaks. However, if a water vapor source or a water leak is available, the tree root will seek the water location as a survival reaction. There is doubt at this point, given an available water vapor source or a leak, that the tree root can make a minor problem significantly worse.

YES. Tree roots over time can grow under any type of concrete and cause it to crack and lift. If this happens to your border simply pull back the mulch on the inside and pull up the sod on the outside, cut the root on both sides and slide it out from under the border. Your border should fall back into place, and you have restored the look of your edging without replacing it.

The tree is not quite rooted. Different species root at different speeds. 3-5 years after planting is average. In addition, soil type is a factor, and a tree recently hit by a car may become more loosely rooted. It’s worth checking for any circling roots leftover from the time when it was in a pot. Gently excavate about 1" down around the trunk, as far out as you see roots.

When homeowners suspect they have a blocked sewer line between their home and the main City sewer, they should contact Toronto Water for assistance: 416-338-ROOT (7668). First response to sewer line blockage, inspection and emergency repair service will be provided by City staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week. After normal business hours, response will be limited to emergency situations where the sewer service lines are completely blocked.

Yes, contact our highways team and they will look into the problem and work with the tree section to sort it out.

Some homeowners have been led to believe that electric drain cleaning machines are able to cut & remove all of the roots from their drain line. This is simply not true. Once roots enter a sewer line, they can never be completely removed unless the pipe is replaced. Video inspections have revealed the true effect that these machines have on roots.

Structural soils appear to have the added benefit of allowing tree roots to grow deeper in the soil profile—so they are less likely to exploit the area of low resistance between compacted soil and pavement that exists in some sidewalks. As tree roots expand, the gravel has been observed to become embedded in the roots. Root morphology does change somewhat as roots grow around the gravel lattice—but root expansion is ultimately not impeded.

Helmets are recommended for general climbing safety, and are especially important in group climbs where the hazard of falling branches increases with increased activity in the tree. It's not just falling branches to be wary of -- unexpected swings are also a danger. We like the Petzl Helmets, and we carry three models. Many kinds of helmets are good, including those used by cyclists, cavers and hang gliders. Some use industrial hard hats.

Trimming & take down of trees can prove to be very dangerous. Unfortunately, sometimes damage can occur in the process. If you have contracted an insured company to do the job, damages can be repaired in a timely manner. Since the insurance will cover the cost, it makes the job cost effective for the company. This in turn, will assist to keep the companies prices lower, yet instill consumer confidence when a job is requested.