Question re: shade or tree roots?

10 years ago

My hillside garden has slowly slipped into dappled shade over the last few years. I do get 3-5 hours daily of direct Calif sun in the summer though. In close proximity to the garden is a 40' coastal redwood and another pine of some sort on my neighbor's property. Last year, my onions, planted as starts, did nothing, never grew. I noticed that the soil in the raised bed they were in was so jammed with roots that I could barely sink a trowel into it. Now, this year, my onions have failed to grow again and my garlic is spindly and small (both onions & garlic were wonderful 4 yrs ago and have slowly declined). Is this lack of sun, or are the tree roots compromising the soil? If it's the roots, any suggestions on how to remedy that? If I remove the tree, will the roots go away, or will they live on? The tree is also blocking some of my solar panels, so removing it wouldn't be just for the garden. We have been in a drought here for several years and the coastal redwoods are very thirsty, not a good choice for N. Calif.

Featured Answer

zzackey

10 years ago

Both. Vegetable plants need at least a half day of sun. The roots won't do anything if you remove the tree. You will have to remove the roots that remain.

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Comments (11)

kvcoon
Original Author
10 years ago
Thank you for the info. It seems that taking out the tree would help with all three issues - the sun, the solar and, if I dig them out of the raised beds, the roots. Finding the $1000 to have a 40' tree removed is the biggest problem!
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User
10 years ago
Can you sell the wood from it to make up for some of the cost of removal?
digdirt2
10 years ago
Agree it is a combination of both problems and both have to be fixed for success. But it sounds as if it would be easier and less expensive to move the garden. Or switch to containers if that isn't possible.

Dave
daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
10 years ago
I suspect your main problem is the roots. Onions and garlic will get by without half a day of sun. But a bed full of roots is a bed full of competition. The remedy for roots is to DIG. No easy way. Even if you take out the tree, those roots will still be there, clogging things up.
kvcoon
Original Author
10 years ago
Selling the wood is a good idea. Don't know how useful it would be for firewood tho, lots of sap. Moving the garden is, unfortunately, not an option; small lot with pool & lots of patio, other areas almost all in shade. I also think the roots are the main problem, sucking all the moisture & nutrients from the soil. I am using grow boxes in the area for snow peas, lettuce & basil and those are doing ok, not exactly thriving, but growing & producing in spite of the shade. I may have to just settle for a grow box garden. Thanks to y'all for the good advice!
yolos - 8a Ga. Brooks
10 years ago
Build a raised bed on legs.

http://orange.ifas.ufl.edu/res_hort/pdffiles/Factsheets/010%20How%20to%20Build%20an%20Elevated%20Square%20Foot%20Garden.pdf
Pumpkin (zone 10A)
10 years ago
The wood would be quite valuable to a specialty mill, including the root burl. They may pay you for them to take the tree.

I'd hate to see such a special tree go but the roots are the problem for the garden. Personally, I'd just switch to containers or move the garden. But, if you want to continue what you're doing, you'll need to rip out the tree, the root ball and dig out the roots from the bed.
kvcoon
Original Author
10 years ago
I have decided I don't want to lose the tree or the $$ to remove it. A grow-box garden for me! Thx again for the advice
Pumpkin (zone 10A)
10 years ago
Just please do not cut up the tree for firewood or trash it if you want to get rid of it someday. Coastal redwood is a valuable specialty wood. Call a redwood mill and someone will probably come get the tree for free. It is a valuable tree to the point that you're not likely to have to pay to have it removed.
kvcoon
Original Author
10 years ago
Really?? Good to know! The tree guy told us $1000 to remove it. I'll keep that in mind. Thx!