I'll be watching to see what the real experts say. Meanwhile, I'll entertain you.

I've wondered the same thing myself because I've seen sidewalk crews that routinely lop roots that didn't know enough to stay out from under the sidewalk. My observation has been that it does no lasting damage to the tree.

How huge is that silver maple? You mentioned 20 years old, I've got a few in that age on my property and they are still less than 2' in diameter. I had to cut down another, older one because it was losing limbs at an increasing rate. That one was almost 4' across and I figure it was much older.

Good Luck
Dave

 

yeah...I think I was off on the age...I"m thinking its more like 40 years old. lol...I started thinking about their heart felt story of how their kid planted this tree from twig and they are in their 60s...so that makes me feel even worse. haha THANKS.

 

See if this helps any:

http://gardening.wsu.edu/library/lpro022/lpro022.htm

 

Do NOT cut those roots that are 4 plus inches. They are support roots so I have bee told. I have always tried to work around them i.e buuild a stone shelf over them if your doing a stone retaining wall. you can fill in the void dry set so the root will have room to grow and move a few stones. Hope this helps......

 

If you can post a few pictures of job so I can get a better look

 

Maybe you could sell them on building a wood fired pizza oven...because that tree will probably be fire wood in 5 years.

If it does manage to survive the root damage then make sure that you don't fill the tree well up with dirt and mulch....unless you leave a hollow around the base. The tree with suffocate and surely die if you don't.

I hope this tree makes it though...it would really suck for them to lose a memento like that. Unfortunately most tree wells are tree killers.

 

So how many roots did you end up cutting? 3-4 inch thick roots? How close to the maple were the cuts? Are the cuts to the roots clean cuts or were they jagged/torn?

If the roots are cut far enough away it probably won't be a problem; Silver Maples develop a pretty extensive roots system, and stability is really only an issue versus wind. If the cuts were clean, the roots could heal well enough on their own.

Why are you building a retaining wall around it? For your client to fill it with soil and plant other things? The Maple's root system will take over any dirt filled in very quickly and could even damage the wall you've made. I'd be more concerned about the wall than with the tree's life--it will almost certainly live.

 

I would be concerned that the concrete itself will poison the tree. Assuming you are pouring a footing? A tree that size might surprise everyone though. Have you talked to any arborist types? They may have some suggestions.

 

If you read that awesome link that Griz posted (thaks Griz) it recommends thinning the upper foliage now to help the roots be in balance with the top.
It sucks hindsight is 20/20 but usually there is something you can do to help.

 

Honestly that article is outdated. It says 1914 on the bottom. The International Society of Arboriculture stopped recommending "balancing" the canopy and the root system a long time ago. It's been proven that a full canopy speeds root recovery.

You didn't give me enough information about the situation to be much help. Need to know things like how far away the retaining wall is, how you cut the roots and more. Also, did the grade change? I'd imagine it did if a retaining wall is going up.

Upload some pictures and I can give you helpful information.

LOL just saw this thread has been dormant for months.

 

I have a friend who bought property on the river during the real estate boom and his new neighbor decided that there were three trees in the way of his view so he cut them down...except that they were on my friends property...
Judge said that the neighbor responsible to replace the trees with the same age and type trees and any extra landscaping to bring it back to original condition... As well as all legal fees...

So far is in excess of $25,000 and not done yet.


Trees are funny things...

I don't mess with them. But I can hook you up with an excellent Arborist...

 

If you built a retaining wall with footings and mortar it will be guaranteed to crack if silver maple roots are under it. A segmental retaining wall that is built on a compacted base uses no concrete footing that will crack.

Dick

 

If you built a retaining wall with footings and mortar it will be guaranteed to crack maple roots are under it. A segmental retaining wall that is built on a compacted base uses no concrete footing that will crack.

Dick

LOL this is getting ridiculous. The OP is worried about the tree, not the retaining wall, and this thread is several months old.

 

Does the customer know that the tree is going to destroy your wall at some point?

I try to encourage removal of stuff like that entirely.