White Birch roots...

[Breaktheory]

Hello...

I had 3 White Birch trees removed and stumps ground down about 8 months ago.

These were on the lawn where I intend to start planting - is there any reason that the dead roots would cause an issue planting new trees?

Many thanks!

[Silas_Sancona]

6 minutes ago, Breaktheory said:

Hello...

I had 3 White Birch trees removed and stumps ground down about 8 months ago.

These were on the lawn where I intend to start planting - is there any reason that the dead roots would cause an issue planting new trees?

Many thanks!

Depending on how large the trees were, largest roots may take a little time to really start breaking down.. Cut down / burnt out the stump of a weedy White Lead tree back in 2017 and still hit decaying roots when expanding the trough around another tree i planted nearby recently. Smaller roots should be much easier to cut through though, esp. if you use a quality, all steel Cap Rock Shovel.

Aside from that, decaying matter of the smaller roots should add some great organics to the soil in the planting area.

[Breaktheory]

4 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Depending on how large the trees were, largest roots may take a little time to really start breaking down.. Cut down / burnt out the stump of a weedy White Lead tree back in 2017 and still hit decaying roots when expanding the trough around another tree i planted nearby recently. Smaller roots should be much easier to cut through though, esp. if you use a quality, all steel Cap Rock Shovel.

Aside from that, decaying matter of the smaller roots should add some great organics to the soil in the planting area.

These were between 15-20 feet and I would guess 10 years old at least.

I want to plant near where the Birch trees were. 

Would it be wise to dig a larger hole than usual to accommodate future Palm growth and avoid run ins with semi decayed Birch roots?

Since this is my front lawn I don’t want to dig more than I have to.

Edited July 31, 2021 by Breaktheory

[Silas_Sancona]

55 minutes ago, Breaktheory said:

These were between 15-20 feet and I would guess 10 years old at least.

I want to plant near where the Birch trees were. 

Would it be wise to dig a larger hole than usual to accommodate future Palm growth and avoid run ins with semi decayed Birch roots?

Since this is my front lawn I don’t want to dig more than I have to.

I might make the holes slightly bigger.. but no need to dig anything massive.. Would be overkill actually.  Palm roots shouldn't have any issue growing over / through the remaining roots of the Birch, actually benefiting from the organic material left behind by them as they continue breaking down. Only thing you might remove would be any large roots you encounter when digging the holes.