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Removing roots from lawns (for mowing)

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crusty_crab80

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Discussion starter · #1 · (Edited)
Does anybody do this on a frequent or even a periodic basis?

And I know removing the surfaced roots is not good for trees. This would only be done to crappy undesirable trees. Looking at one lawn where both sides of whole lawn which run along the tree line has more roots than lawn area. Its mostly some brushy willow roots and a lot of cottonwood. Most of these trees have suckers coming up off the roots. The only good tree on the whole lot is a birch and we would have to back fill around it with dirt.

Its so bumpy now trimming would be easier than ztr...
Thinking a couple of axes, or hoe axes (mattocks), and several hours of labor should do the trick.
 
#5 ·
Roots come to the surface for a reason. Does water pond in the area after a rain? Do you have moss in the area? Is the dirt overly compacted?

I'd consider 1/2" of top dressing to make the ruts a little less rough.
But don't overdo it. If it helps, wait a year or two and do it one more time.

Pick the ONE root that give you the most trouble and feel free to cut it. Look at it this way. It's safe to cut 10% of the canopy. It's just as safe to cut 10% of the roots. Just don't go cutting everything in sight, and don't attack just one side of the tree.
 
#6 ·
I third that. Topdress it. That is not free. It is an upsell. You are improving their yard by doing so. If the tree has low hanging limbs and not allowing sunlight down to the grass around it, suggest limbing up the tree for them in combination with topdressing. The grass will grow up through the new dirt that you added for "protection" of the roots of their tree as long as there is the correct balance of sunlight, water, and dirt.
I also would mention that I used to take a 5 gallon bucket of dirt with me on my route and used it to fill any holes/imperfections in the lawns that I mowed so that the lawn would be better and easier to mow the next time. Meaning that if I have to avoid a hole or shallow to keep from scarring the lawn, I would fill in the hole slightly mounded so that next time it would a flat area. Maybe everybody else's lawns are perfect but mine started out imperfect but improved greatly little by little.
 
Discussion starter · #7 ·
Yeah I would normally say lets topdress. But their natural part of the yard is totally unkept and wild. Its encroaching onto the lawn and that is why I already suggested thinning things out. Yard does have moss but mostly near the edges. Aeration is already in the works. And he will probably go for a moss treatment as well.

Wish I had a real topdresser. Would make things go fast.

Thats funny bigred562 I used to do the 5 gal bucket thing. But it got to be too much of a hassle. I could use 10 buckets per property on some yards. So one wasnt doing much.
 
#9 ·
Oh, and another thought, roots showing could also come from erosion which comes from not having much grass under the tree. I have a yard that did that. The grass under the tree was thinner because being so shady and with the rains that we have been getting and the lay of the land the rainwater would wash through that area and has eroded and exposed the roots. If you can figure out what is causing the root exposure, then you can correct it and keep it corrected...hopefully. If erosion caused it and you only topdress, the dirt that you put down will be washed away. In that case, you would need to sod it also.
 
#10 ·
crusty_crab80 said:
Yeah I would normally say lets topdress. But their natural part of the yard is totally unkept and wild. Its encroaching onto the lawn and that is why I already suggested thinning things out. Yard does have moss but mostly near the edges. Aeration is already in the works. And he will probably go for a moss treatment as well.

Wish I had a real topdresser. Would make things go fast.

Thats funny bigred562 I used to do the 5 gal bucket thing. But it got to be too much of a hassle. I could use 10 buckets per property on some yards. So one wasnt doing much.
Click to expand...
I guess my lawns weren't as bad as yours are....Wow. 2 choices on that. Offer them a yard leveling service(not free of course) or raise your price to include enough for a chiropractor
 
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