Digging out the north raised bed was a huge ordeal. The Pippin apple tree next to the bed has spent the last 3 years excitedly exploring the bed with its roots and sucking out all those rich, juicy nutrients. Last year's tomato harvest was pitiful, and now I know why. It also explains why the tomato closest to the tree would always die... that side was nearly a solid knot of the bossy roots.
We had to get in there with tree branch clippers, but Ryan violently chopped most of it with a shovel. I would highly recommend the shovel method if you need to work out some angst against those soul-sucking roots. Here's hoping that the landscape fabric we used is strong enough to deter the tree roots! We picked a really tough fabric, but theoretically you only need a mild barrier because the wee baby rootlets will turn around when they meet the resistance. And here's hoping that the apple doesn't get too mad at me. I fertilized her around her drip line at the same time in an attempt to draw her attentions elsewhere.
A bed's worth of apple tree roots. Uh, plus a random parsley.
We had to get in there with tree branch clippers, but Ryan violently chopped most of it with a shovel. I would highly recommend the shovel method if you need to work out some angst against those soul-sucking roots. Here's hoping that the landscape fabric we used is strong enough to deter the tree roots! We picked a really tough fabric, but theoretically you only need a mild barrier because the wee baby rootlets will turn around when they meet the resistance. And here's hoping that the apple doesn't get too mad at me. I fertilized her around her drip line at the same time in an attempt to draw her attentions elsewhere.
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