QuestionsHow to growTrees and ShrubsChoosing trees and shrubsDrainage and how hedge plants can affect
Jools O\’Gorman asked 15 years ago
I have a friend who is about to pull out a big hedge of dogwood because she heard they can cause drainage problems. Would dogwoods cause drainage problems in a garden that would probably not have great drainage anyway? would their roots be particularly binding? the hedge is about 5 or 6m away from soak pit. also, would ash trees cause problems? i read somewhere that their roots go out quite a bit further than other trees.
1 Answers
Gerry Daly Staff answered 6 years ago
Dogwood does not cause drainage problems but is often planted in wet soil.
It should bot be causing a problem for a septic soakaway at 5 metres but the thing to do is to investigate by digging down to the soakpit gravel and see if it is congested with roots.
In general, trees send out roots to an area larger than the spread of their branches. Ash can root further than this in dry soil.
