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Caring for mature trees between the sidewalk and the road

 
Sam Potter
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We moved into a house in town a couple years ago. And the more I read about trees the more I realize the beautiful mature oak tree and maple tree in my front yard are stressed and unhappy. They are 3 feet from the road and sidewalk evenly and the soil keeps eroding from there roots because the street curb is lower then the sidewalk by about 2.5 feet. Any idea how to save these trees and keep the soil from eroding on the steep grade? Or are they doomed and plan to have them removed later on? We are in zone 5 if that helps at all. Thank you!

No point in crying if you havnt been trying

 
Anne Miller
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I would begin by adding compost covered with wood chips to that whole area.

Here are some threads that might help you or others:

https://permies.com/t/187665/Compost-Magic

https://permies.com/t/160/120453/Great-Wood-Chips

https://permies.com/t/13602/Incredible-Amazing-Leaf-Mold

https://permies.com/t/63914/Soil

Invasive plants are Earth's way of insisting we notice her medicines. Stephen Herrod Buhner
Everyone learns what works by learning what doesn't work. Stephen Herrod Buhner

 
Scott Stiller
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That’s a tough one Sam. It seems like the things you could do to help may cause issues with the city. Most towns have some sort of planner that you could talk to. Steps to save them will definitely be cheaper than cutting dead limbs off cars and houses.

Regards, Scott

 
Sam Potter
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There is not much for city planners or care about the trees from the city planners. We are on the outer fringes of a small town. With the steep grade of the slope mulch washes away with the first hard rain. Would it do any good to apply compost then logs or brick pavers to hold it in place? Or would that harm the trees roots?

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j brun
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The logs sound like they might wash away in a big enough storm.? Maybe something like these driveway/grass pavers would work? https://www.mutualmaterials.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Turfgrid-beauty-1024x717.jpg
You could try just adding compost then seeding it to a fast growing plant/s to use their roots as anchors for compost/mulch/living mulch.. and/or maybe some sort of shrubs would do well.
 
Mk Neal
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Any groundcover plant that will take root under the trees would improve the erosion/compaction problem immensely.  Given the small and isolated spot of dirt, maybe just try something tough and dependable like vinca or lilyturf (liriope).

Weeds are just plants with enough surplus will to live to withstand normal levels of gardening!--Alexandra Petri

 
Jay Angler
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Do they use a lot of salt on the road in the winter? If so, maybe some salt-tolerant plants as an understory would help both hold soil and absorb the salt.

Visit Redhawk's soil series: https://permies.com/wiki/redhawk-soil
How permies.com works: https://permies.com/wiki/34193/permies-works-links-threads

 
Anne Miller
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Sam Potter wrote: With the steep grade of the slope mulch washes away with the first hard rain. Would it do any good to apply compost then logs or brick pavers to hold it in place?



Years ago, when we lived in Dallas, I saw folks using edging to keep mulch from washing away.

Here are some ideas:


source


source


source


source

Invasive plants are Earth's way of insisting we notice her medicines. Stephen Herrod Buhner
Everyone learns what works by learning what doesn't work. Stephen Herrod Buhner

 
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