Thanks for your reply...unfortunately it's not the above-ground part that's the problem, it's the below-ground, the roots, that are starting to push up the walk right at the corner of the house and we're afraid it will eventually affect the foundation as well. When I say "too close", I mean 2 ft from the house, seriously. I have *no idea* what she was thinking. She also put a beautiful sango kaku jap. maple on the other corner of the house; I haven't noticed the same trouble with the roots yet, but I suppose it's inevitable. These trees are *gorgeous* and yet they may very well ruin the foundation...WHY couldn't she have planted them maybe 5' further out?!

So knowing that, do you have any thoughts on how to go about murdering the poor thing or possibly giving it to someone and saving its life?

Unless your foundation is not very well built probably neither one of these trees is likely to bother it. The maple is a small tree and the cedar, although able to grow large over a long period of time could be pruned successfully by someone who knows how.

The lifting of the walk could probably be addressed by/indicate a need for replacement of the walk. Without seeing the situation I can't tell what approach would make the most sense.

Transplanting is not likely to be possible, based on what it sounds like the situation is.

bboy, bboy...are you serious? If so, I'm incredibly excited...I almost dare not believe you...so you're saying that the tree roots could affect the front walk but not the foundation?

(the cedar's big brother, an upright atl. blue, cracked the walk farther down the driveway...the tree was felled by a wind, strangely enough, but we are going to have to replace that part of the walk, definitely. And then when we saw the crack up by the weeping, we figured that we had to get rid of it, too.

I'm completely fine with the way it's growing *above* ground, but below ground I was very concerned.

Or am I misreading what you're writing and you're saying that the crack up by the weeping isn't caused by the tree? Thanks so much for your replies, btw. I very much respect your experience and opinion on this.

I agree with bboy - because of its very directional habit, this is one selection of conifer that can be grown quite close to a structure. And yes, what he stated about foundational damage is true. Unless the foundation is not structurally sound, it is highly unlikely ANY tree roots can damage it.

Walkways, drives and patios are a bit different. Because they are constructed of relatively thin slabs or individual pavers, they are more easily lifted, cracked or damaged by roots growing close to the surface. Sometimes just altering the placement of the walkway can provide a solution or replacing the walkway with another material.

A photo of the tree placement would help to visualize the situation but I doubt I'd consider anything as radical as moving the tree.

Yes, transplanting is probably not a valid option, and killing it would be a shame. I'd look at rerouting the walkway myself, to prevent the tree lifting it again in the future. Or replace with gravel or individual pavers, and train the tree to grow over the walkway in a tunnel ...

Thanks gardengal & reg -- it's a *very* happy day around this house :) Re a different surface: a bit tricky given our situation. I'll take a pic and I'd really appreciate any thoughts. We're planning to put permeable pavers out by where the big tree was, but close to the house, under the roof, it just seems that concrete is what's needed...maybe I'm not thinking of something and someone else can come up with an alternative?

>the tree was felled by a wind, strangely enoughMost grafted conifers (and much other nursery stock) sold here prove to be rootbound when examined. A type like a blue Atlas cedar that forms a large heavy top fairly early in life may topple over because of the inadequate anchorage provided by roots deformed by careless container culture.

Flyleft, I don't like having big plants next to the house. There are all sorts of problems. And I too can't stand to kill them. So I procrastinate for a couple of years, and then I take the chain saw to them. Just harden your heart and do it. There is no good solution.

We don't have enough information to be sure that is necessary.

The problems with large plants planted close to structures are not uniform - what may be an issue in the future in one case will pose no problem with another. And 'large' is relative, as is 'close' - a regular blue atlas cedar in the same location may create issues, a weeping form or columnar aroborvitae, etc. may not. In this case, removal is not necessarily warranted. Training, pruning or other methods of directional control may be all that is required.

thanks again for your all's replies...here are two photos. I was going to take more but of course right at that moment my battery died. I hope these can show enough to get an idea. The trunk of the tree is to the left of the first 2x4 (still unpainted -- we added it last summer). There was already a support structure built for it to go across the window when we got here. The second shows the weeping *and* the cracks in the sidewalk where the upright was before it came down. We think it would be fine to put the eco-pavers down at the second spot, but what to do about the concrete up by the house...

bboy, it wasn't a case of toppling over from the root -- it broke about 8' up, just sheared. My guess is that the tight crotches made it weak, like bradford pears, and it sheared open where the first big branch came off the trunk.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

No photos attached :-)

O.K., that's what I get for doing 5 things at once...

Here is a link that might be useful: Sorry! Two pics here.

That modern building is liable to have a pretty secure foundation, unless somebody did a gyp job. I'd keep the tree, figuring that at some point in the future somebody can just cut it down should the trunk end up pressed against the building or some other cause for concern develop.

Thanks, bboy... and yes, I am wondering about how big the trunk will get -- saw a jawdroppingly beautiful *huge-trunked* specimen on the PCC Sylvania campus recently which is partly what precipitated this post. One can't prune the trunk, but maybe the location will limit the growth of our tree such that the trunk will never get that large. Right.

Do you or does anyone have any ideas about how to fix the sidewalk up near the house? If we redo it as regular sidewalk, which would probably be best unless there's an alternative I don't know (we don't want to put the ecopavers right up close to the door), will it just crack again?

I live very close to an Atlas Blue Cedar planted by a previous owner. I live on my own and and am completely fed up with sweeping needles,then cones from my driveway. I also get sap and the rest all over my car. Can't go out before getting the needles of the wipers etc. The whole thing is a pain because it should have beenp planted in open land. There is nothing I can do as the Council say it is a protected tree. Just letting of steam! I live in the UK so know nobody can advise.. I'm also worried about the roots possible damage to a very old property. Sorry to moan but it's dominating my life at the moment (needles in the house constantly too).