Fibrous roots

Palustris

The area we have just cleared of Laurel, dead Laburnum, dead Hawthorn and Holly trees has a thick layer of fibrous roots across it. Should I remove them? Not sure to what they belong. There is still a large Oak tree in there.

The area late this afternoon.

BobTheGardener

Waste of time really - if they are from the stuff you've removed, the finer roots will rot away quite quickly.  If they are the feeding roots of the oak then you may damage it by removing them.  I would just dig holes through it for planting.  Nice spot for spring bulbs by the look of it.

Obelixx

I suspect they may be oak roots because, whilst they do send down a tap root they also have more fibrous, shallow roots that can spread much wider than the canopy.   If you disturb those too much you'll affect the health of the tree and maybe weaken it and make it ripe for damage in a big storm.

Maybe think about making a woodland garden there so those roots stay healthy and don't get compacted or damaged.

Lyn

Have you taken out the Laurel and holly completely? If you've just sawn them down and  left the stumps in they will grow again. 

Palustris

We have taken most of the Laurel stumps out. There are a couple which are just too deep and big to be removed. Those I have treated with Stump Root killing stuff. The Holly trees have been removed completely. Most of them were rooted branches from the hedge rather than full grown trees.

Lyn

That’s good then, in that case just pick axe around where you want to replant. 

Palustris

Not sure that we are actually going to plant anything in there. It is very dark even now we have cleared out the plants. It is intended to be used to make leaf mould in. We are going to make containers for the tons of leaves which drop on the paths and let them rot down into good leaf mould. In the past we have been told all the leaves were collected and taken away. No wonder the soil here is so poor. Should add that the soil in this area is very badly contaminated with building rubbish. I think they dumped all the stuff from building the bungalow in there as well as bits from when they demolished the Big House nearby.

Lizzie27

If you intend making chicken wire leaf bins over ground which contains fibrous roots, you might need to lay some really tough root barrier fabric underneath them or install them on top of concrete slabs, otherwise the roots just invade the leaf mould - I speak from bitter experience!
I can also recommend the heavy duty fencing pins (from Screwix, about 4 ft high) to make the bins with. They are much easier to hit into the ground than wooden stakes and don't rot. It's also easy to fix the wire netting to them.

Topbird

I agree Lizzie. I put some raised (2’ high) raised veggie beds in an area where there were walnut tree roots. 

One bed ended up a complete mass of fibrous roots.

Walnut tree put on over 2m of growth....

Palustris

In that case we may use the bulk 1 ton bags that builders use to supply sand/gravel etc. I have two of those and can get more if needed be.

Thanks.

Obelixx

It's a good tip.  I was planning to build a leaf cage behind the PT under a mimosa but I won't now.  It's invasive enough without being encouraged.