Planting Trees Around Sidewalks: Tips for Growing Trees Around Sidewalks
These days, an increasing number of homeowners are adding more plants to the little terrace areas in their yards that sit between the sidewalk and the street. Although shrubs, perennials, and annuals make great plantings for these tiny spaces, not all trees are appropriate. Terrace-planting trees may eventually interfere with overhead power lines and sidewalks. To find out more about planting trees close to sidewalks, keep reading.
Space for Planting Along Sidewalks
Trees typically have two different types of roots: lateral, fibrous roots or deep taproots. Deeply rooted trees send their roots deep into the ground to find nutrients and water. In order to collect rainfall from their canopy, trees with fibrous, lateral roots spread their roots horizontally close to the soil’s surface. Large lateral roots have the ability to uplift dense cement sidewalks. On the other hand, if concrete is placed over these roots, it may stop the roots from getting oxygen, rainwater, and other nutrients that trees require to survive. Therefore, planting shallow rooting trees too close to sidewalks is not a good idea from either standpoint.
The type of root system a tree has and the amount of space it needs for its roots to spread out properly are other factors that affect a tree’s maturity height. Smaller root zones and a reduced likelihood of interfering with overhead power lines are two characteristics that make trees growing to a height of 50 feet (15 meters) or less suitable for terrace planting. So, how far back from the sidewalk is a tree appropriate to plant?
As a general rule, trees up to thirty feet (9 meters) in height should be planted at least three to four feet (1 meter) away from concrete surfaces or sidewalks. Planting trees 5 to 6 feet (1.5-2 m) from sidewalks is recommended for trees that grow 30 to 50 feet (9-15 m) tall, and at least 8 feet (2 m) from sidewalks for trees that grow higher than 50 feet (15 m).
Tree Planting Close to Sidewalks
Deep-rooted trees that may develop close to sidewalks include:
- White oak
- Japanese lilac trees
- Hickory
- Walnut
- Horneam
- Linden
- Ginkgo
- The majority of decorative pears
- Cherry trees
- Caninewoods
The following trees shouldn’t be planted close to sidewalks because of their shallow lateral roots:
- Bradford apple
- Norway maple
- Red maple
- Sugar maple
- Ash
- Gummy sweets
- Tree of Tulips
- Pin oak
- Poplar
- Willow
- Elm (American)
