Homeowner's concern sparks warning about major yard project: 'That looks like bad news'

Having trees in your yard is beneficial for shade, privacy, oxygen, and even property value. Yet many homeowners are unaware of the best ways to care for their trees so that they grow healthy and strong for many years to come. 

For example, one homeowner posted on Reddit about trenching in their yard to run an electrical line to a shed. 

"I'm worried about how close the trenching is to the trees," the homeowner wrote in the caption of a photo. "The trees on the right are around 80-100 feet tall. Tree on the left is around 50. Trenching is 18 inches."

Trenching is a common practice for installing underground electrical wiring to ensure the cables are protected and not visible. It is also commonly used to install irrigation, plumbing, and heating utilities. 

But to protect your trees, it is essential to dig trenches as far away as possible from them so you don't damage their root systems. Cutting through tree roots can cause permanent damage and make a tree unstable or kill it.

Professional arborists recommend measuring a tree's diameter and multiplying that number by five to determine the minimum safe distance away to dig so that you avoid cutting roots. Tree roots grow three to four times more than the limbs and extend four to six feet into the soil.

To learn more about at-home tree care, it's wise to follow online forums such as the r/arborists subreddit and seek expert advice about tree-care routines. In addition, properly mulching and planting native species are excellent ways to grow a natural lawn.

"To me, that looks like bad news," one Redditor wrote in the comments.

"It's well within the critical root zone, so it shouldn't just be cut without regard to the roots," another Redditor commented.

"Done by hand around the trees is the best way, or with an air spade to blast the soil away," a third user suggested.

"Start saving up for removals in the next 5-10 years, or try praying to the god of mulching and irrigation," another comment reads.

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