"Have you thought about shrubs or decorative grasses instead? Might save you from another round of root-wrestling down the line."
Good point about shrubs and grasses—I went that route a few years back after my own maple-root fiasco. Honestly, maples are sneaky little devils underground. Even after cutting mine down, I was still finding surprise roots popping up near the driveway for months. Root barriers can help, but they're not foolproof either. Sometimes roots just laugh at our attempts to stop them...
I ended up planting some native shrubs and ornamental grasses, and it's been smooth sailing ever since. They look great, are low-maintenance, and haven't tried to invade my plumbing yet (fingers crossed). If you're set on trees though, maybe look into dwarf varieties or something with less aggressive roots? Just be careful—"small and friendly" can indeed turn into "big and pushy" quicker than you'd think.
Shrubs and grasses are definitely easier on the plumbing, but have you considered fruit trees as an alternative? I planted a dwarf apple tree about five years ago after my own root nightmare (mine was a willow—talk about aggressive roots...). It's stayed manageable in size, hasn't caused any underground chaos yet, and bonus: free apples every fall.
I get the appeal of ornamental grasses, but personally, I prefer something that gives back a bit more than just aesthetics. Fruit trees can be pretty budget-friendly too if you buy them young and let them grow in gradually. Sure, there's some pruning involved, but it's nothing compared to wrestling with maple roots or paying for plumbing repairs down the line.
Maybe worth thinking about if you're still open to trees?
Fruit trees can be a decent compromise, but just a quick heads-up from someone who's seen plenty of plumbing disasters—fruit trees aren't always innocent either. Sure, dwarf varieties are usually safer bets, but I've had to dig up more than one sewer line thanks to an overly ambitious peach or cherry tree. Roots follow moisture, and if there's even a tiny leak or crack in your pipes, they'll find it eventually.
"Sure, there's some pruning involved, but it's nothing compared to wrestling with maple roots or paying for plumbing repairs down the line."
You're right about maples and willows though—those are absolute nightmares. Had a client once whose willow roots traveled nearly 50 feet to invade their sewer line... talk about determination. If you're set on fruit trees, just make sure they're planted far enough away from your main lines and keep an eye out for any signs of trouble (slow drains, weird gurgling noises). A little caution now can save you a lot of headaches later.
Glad you mentioned dwarf fruit trees—I've been thinking about planting a couple myself, but now I'm second-guessing the spot I picked out. How far away from sewer lines would you say is safe enough? And are certain fruit trees less aggressive root-wise than others? I'd love some peaches, but not if they're secretly plotting against my plumbing...
Peaches aren't usually the worst offenders, but honestly, even dwarf varieties can surprise you root-wise. I'd suggest at least 10-15 feet from sewer lines to be safe. Maybe consider container planting if you're tight on space? Better safe than sorry with plumbing...
