Questions about letting trees grow in the backyard

[brycen]

I think how close you can have trees to the house depends on how old the trees are, mainly, and what type. If you want to save them of them it might be possible, if they are small enough, to transplant them to another spot.

My Mom, in Colorado, had to move all of her plants from half of her small front yard so someone can bring in a big machine and dig out and replace her sewer line. In the very front along the fence there is a huge old elm tree and its roots are everywhere, probably clogging the sewer line too. Most of her plants were small, we did have one small plum tree to move that had some small roots down (it had been transplanted to that spot 1 year ago so was maybe 2 years old). We encountered a number of the elm tree roots while digging it out, they went all directions and even criss-crossed each other. They think the sewer project will take out enough of the elm tree roots that it will have to be cut down. This will be a big hassle since it grows over the front and side fences and the vehicle parking area in front.

Also she has some dwarf tree varieties that don't get very big, obviously. Those are probably ok closer to the house.

Bryce in Utah

[MaineShark]

We've been cutting down a lot of trees, around here.  Oaks and maples and such.

We're putting in apples and pears and some nut trees.  If we're going to have trees, they might as well benefit us...

Plus, the trees we're putting in won't get as high, so if they do fall down in later years, they won't do as much damage to other things (like the greenhouses we eventually want to install).

Joe

[Thnder]

You would not want any trees near a well or in the general vicinity of any pipes either I would think.