Yeah, root barriers are hit or miss in my experience. Had a tenant once whose willow tree roots cracked the foundation—talk about a nightmare. Makes me wonder if certain tree species are just more trouble than they're worth...
Had a similar issue with a silver maple—beautiful tree, but man, those roots were relentless. Ended up costing me way more than I bargained for in plumbing repairs. Makes me wonder if there's a list somewhere of trees homeowners should just steer clear of planting...anyone know if something like that exists?
"Makes me wonder if there's a list somewhere of trees homeowners should just steer clear of planting..."
Funny you mention that—I had a tenant once who planted a willow near the sewer line. Beautiful tree, sure, but man, talk about plumbing nightmares. Cost me a small fortune to sort it out. Since then, I've been extra careful about what's growing near pipes. Wonder if nurseries or local extension offices might have some kind of blacklist for invasive-root trees...would be handy to know before planting.
I feel your pain on the willow—my neighbor planted bamboo a few years back, thinking it'd make a nice privacy screen. Sure, it looked great at first, but then it started popping up in my yard, under the fence, even through cracks in the driveway. Took forever to get rid of it. Makes me wonder if there's some kind of "most wanted" list for invasive plants lurking around online somewhere...would've saved us both a headache or two.
Yeah, bamboo's a nightmare once it gets established. Did you try installing a rhizome barrier, or was it too late by then? I've seen roots punch through concrete foundations...makes me wonder if there's anything bamboo can't invade.
