could we have a pic please ...

how much soil would you be putting over the top ..

how big .. old .. is the tree

ken

Thanks, Ken, it is raining right now which is great for the hostas I planted yesterday before rain started.

The tree is around 50 years old and about 40 feet high. I hope to find spots for future hostas and etc. underneath it. I would add 1" to 3" depth of soil to the top of the roots. I think it is safe but I don't want to stress it. I had to cut down two very old birch trees last week.

I believe the exposed roots were caused by downspout drainage which means I will have to figure out how to hold the new soil.

I have considered landscape fabric for the winter with removal in the spring time. I could dig my planting holes this fall in hopes that I have plant money in the springtime.

One of my favorite sayings is "When winter comes, can spring be far behind?"

I will have plant money!

more time.. better answer ...

you can not significantly raise the soil level.. or depth.. under any tree... especially if you would need equipment to drive over the root mass to do so ...

the tree. ... over the decades .. presuming its a large old tree [hence the pic request].. put its roots where it wanted and needed them ... you can not significantly change that without changing its whole natural balance ...

could you remove that root... i dont know ... maybe the pic.. etc ...

but my bigger question is... is this old tree a threat to the house ... and is it really suited to the situation ... really big old telephone pole trees really should be in the usual suburban yard .... perhaps the prior owner.. simply didnt understand the vast potential of the babe they planted ...

i have a personal theory .. lol ... they used to send us home from school with little pine trees on arbor day .. and just too many parents.. encouraging the crumb munchers planted them a couple feet from the house.. and here we are 20.. 40.. 60 years later ... with a forest tree in the yard ....and at some point... it was just easier to sell the house ... and move.. lol ...

a pic of the tree.. needles and sheaf bundle.. will probably get us an ID ... and that would be a good place to start ... unless you are sure on the pinus strobus ID you gave..

ken

this is how i look at potential: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=pinus+strobus+forest&t=ffcm&ia=images&iax=images

just look at all those telephone poles ... lol ..

KEN, OP SAID HE/ SHE WOULD REMOVE IN SPRING, READ...

You never want to increase the soil grade over the root system of established trees. Even a couple of inches will smother and kill off the fine feeder roots that are located just below the soil surface. It won't happen immediately but it will happen!!

As to underplanting large, established conifers......it is just a very hard thing to do. You can't add soil. It ls tough to even dig a reasonably sized planting hole. And you need to pick something that is very shade and drought tolerant and that you can start from very small starts. Really a groundcover that fits those requirements is your best bet.

T

Thank you Wayne, but I understand the knee jerk response to landscape fabric. One might just stop listening or reading after those words. :)

But I did think it was a plan. To dig some plant holes before adding soil. I could add mulch but afraid it would wash to lower area.

Pictures? Let's try!

Thanks gardengal! I am going to reconsider my plan, sigh!

Ken, you can yell at me any time! That is why I ask questions! :)

Cosign with Ken - covering the ground with plastic landscape fabric is like filling your mouth with mercury! Just horrible ideas to begin with!

Look, Nature already provides everything it needs for itself. Learn its ways better and use them!