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cobbler1980

Silver Maple, needs to be removed, Need advice

cobbler1980
16 years ago

Hello, we just bought our first house last year. In the front yard is a rather large Silver Maple.

I would hate to lose the tree but it seems we have no choice now. It is pushing up the sidewalk toward our front door. The sidewalk section is a good 2-3 inches above the surface and a MAJOR tripping hazard.

It is also pushing up and cracking our driveway, and one of the larger roots is headed right towards our foundation and already moved into the middle of the yard.

We got a quote and it isn't to unreasonable, but we will also need to grind out the stump and roots.

Will this totally kill the tree, meaning the roots will stop growing?

I am unsure what to do with the roots that are growing under the cement, how do we get rid of those without having to dig up everything? Way more expense than we can deal with right now.

Also we are looking to replant as it is our only tree, I just don't want something whose roots are going to do the same thing. I was thinking a Norway or Sugar Maple. Any suggestions for replanting? We do live in the city and our lot size is 65x135 with more yard in the back than the front. (Tree will be going in the front yard).

Thanks for any tips / suggestions!!

Comments (11)

  • myersphcf
    16 years ago

    Yes another example of why I hate these trees they are a menace and should never be planted especially for quick shade.
    OK if you grind the stump it should probably take care of it but if you don't I'd completly coat the stump with Tordone and that will make sure it is DOA. BE CAREFUL thats 24D and highly dangerous ( use gloves and a mask) and if the roots touch other trees or bushes it may effect them but I have found that is not usually a problem. REMEMBER keep an eye on new silver bleepin' maples coming up from one end of your yard to the other...and dig them completly out BEFORE they get over a foot tall or else you'll have to use tordone on them too a large SM cam put out a bzillion seeds and about 1/3 a bizzion will germinate for the next three years or so.
    As far as the current damage I am no concrete guy or construction expert but I'd assume you will have to remove the damage sections of the side walk and dig ot grind the roots out ...NOT a cheap solution but I don't see any other way.
    I have heard nothing good about Norway maples but a good Sugar maple can't be beat ...the only problem it will take years to get of size unless you plant a large one and even then they are slow growing. I had two 18 ft ones transpnated to my year 14 years ago and they are now maybe 25 feet and shade worthy.But basically any hardwood shade tree that is worth planting will generally be a slow grower especially in zone 5...So as I said buy as big of tree as you can afford and have it professionally planted .David

  • cobbler1980
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thanks for the tips. I am just hoping the root will stay and not grow until we can replace the entire sidewalk and driveway.

    As for replanting, when is the best time or season to plant sugar maples??

  • myersphcf
    16 years ago

    I would say dormant in fall is best IMHO or winter if ground isn't frozen ... a good nursery can prob. do it anytime and ealy spring is prob. ok too but with sugar maples the sap starts running early in our area in Feb and although i don't think it would be a problem it is one more stress to deal with . Most larger trees will be balled and burlapped and healed in mulch at the nursery...so anytime except the heat of summer is probably ok...The nursery you choose though may have a preferance but you will surely get a better deal in late fall or early winter on both tree and planting of such and quicker service by most nusrseries from my experience than in their peak busy time in spring.You could try to buy one or dig one up but I would suggest buying a larger tree ,as stated before ,since it takes so long to grow it to shade size. David

  • thomashton
    16 years ago

    I know everyone here hates silver maples and with good reason. I however love them . . . in the right spot. I am planting about 1.25 acres in my back with a mixed stand of shade trees. Several silver maples are included. I have no driveway/walkway for them to heave, they are with other trees to tame the wind and prevent windbreakage, and their leaves and seeds are no bother to me out there. They are just creating a forest floor.

    It is true that a sugar maple can and does grow slowly. That is part of the beauty of them and their tight grain and hard wood. However, if you get a Green Mountain sugar maple, they can grow 1 foot per year which is considerably faster. I bought a new one this year at Home Depot that is a 6-8 footer for just $30. It is beautiful, a decent-sized caliper and doing great. Give the Green Mountain a try.

  • myersphcf
    16 years ago

    Good luck with your silver maples ...I gurantee you in 10 years you will be sorry...they will be 40 feet tall and their helio seeds will, in the wind, travel all over and off your back acreage possibly onto neightbors ...plus when they get that big or bigger ( 15 years maybe 40-50ft or more.)they will likely be taller than your wind protecting trees they prone to big branch problems and remember they have NO fall color at ALL. But everyone that plants them knows best and I haven't heard many who find that they DIDN'T.Again GOOD LUCK!!! David

  • myersphcf
    16 years ago

    "and I haven't heard many who find that they DIDN'T"

    OOOPS,,, meant to say "and I haven't heard many who looking back actually found they actually did".... sorry should have proof read before posting ..David

  • thomashton
    16 years ago

    Like I said David, I grew up with one right next to the house (25 feet or less) and never saw those problems. My dad still owns that house now 25 years later. The tree is doing amazing, is beautiful and he still has never had any of those problems.

    In my applications, the silvers are quite smaller than the rest and I do expect them to catch up eventually and maybe surpass the other in height. I am not concerned. As I said, this is a back acre+. The closest silver is about 350 feet from the house and there aren't more than 5 out there max (well less than 10% of the total trees). As for my neighbors, the horses, cattle, goats shouldn't have a problem with them. IF they actually take root and sprout through that thick pasture root mass, they will be clipped down extremely quickly. Don't believe me, come see some of the damage my goats do to trees.

  • thomashton
    16 years ago

    By the way, yellow is certainly a very acceptable fall color. It's hard to believe you actually said they have 'no' fall color.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Fall color, silver maple

  • myersphcf
    16 years ago

    I have NEVER seen any fall color on silver maples here maybe a scant yellow for a day and then brown...Maybe you have a differnt variety there. I had one at my old house loose a limb and take out the neighbors garage that cost me pleanty I had my neighbors take out my fence .. we had one down the road take out the power for about 1000 folks. I have another neibor who lost half of his last wiointer the rest doied and it's 80 feet tall it will cost a fortune to take down now and have it cut up or hauled away you can't use it for fire wood it's to soft and crummy!! As Ia kid my father had several planted for quick shade and I spent most of every summmer taking care of falling branches ...As I said If you like 'em go for it .As far as seeds there were NO SM's withjin 800 yards of me 5 years ago and now except for the thousands that are popping up in any unmowed place in my yard ...they do FLY!!..But in the final result It's all a persoanal choice based on personal experiences ... Mine are obviously differnt from yours and from the posts here I have much more company than you as far as opinions on the silver maple but there is nothing wrong with having a minority opinion ...again good luck ..David

  • thomashton
    16 years ago

    Hmmmmmm. That is funny. I clearly remember raking up tons of bright yellow leaves. It doesn't surprise me that in other parts of the country the trees behave differently, or of course they could be from different seed stocks. In any case, I haven't had a bad experience with them and I think I am mitigating against any in the future with how they are planted here.

    Thanks for your thoughts David. That's what makes this place so great.

  • pookles
    2 months ago

    I have a hugh silver maple right next to a cinder block house on our property. It was here when we bought the place. We had no idea how bad their roots are until now 40 something years later. It is cracking the block house and going into the septic systen and plumbing pipes. I hate to cut it down but we have no alternative. It is hugh and if anyone has any ideas on how to save it please let me know. It is beautiful and does get gorgeous color in the fall. It is about 7 ft. from the building and whoever planted it had no idea how destructive the roots are. We were in our 20's when we moved here and knew nothing about trees. I love this tree but what can I do to save it?

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