removing roots

Question

Is there a quicker way to remove the “spider” roots in my garden under my trees? There are thousands of them! I am re-working a garden that is underneath two trees in my backyard. The garden had Lily of the Valley, Daffodils and two bushes. It was bound by railroad ties which I have had removed. There are several additional trees in my yard adjacent to this area. I’ve removed all of the perennials and want to rake out all of the dirt and mulch to expose the tree roots in a natural theme. The problem is there are thousands of roots in this approximately 12′ x 6′ area. I’m currently removing them by loosening the soil with a shovel or trowel and pulling up the roots by hand. Most of the roots are as thin as a thread and go up in circumference to about the size of a pencil. This is tedious and will take forever at this rate. Any suggestions? Thanks, Chris

Answer 1

What type of trees are you working with?
Removal of roots can be detrimental to a trees health.

I would suggest consulting with a Arborist to determine if the removal of small roots will harm your trees.

http://www.arborilogical.com/newsletter-archive/2011-spring/removing-exposed-tree-surface-roots/