Trees

[Sunbeam]

We have a (I think) Copper beech (red-ish brown leaves) growing in our garden approx 10 feet from the front of our house & bordering the communal path between us and our neighbour. It is young - standing approx 10-12 feet & has a trunk that I can get my hands around. Although it probably won't become too massive in our life times (I'm 37) I was wondering whether the root system is likely to cause any damage to our house/the path. I don't really want to be forking out for structural repairs to either if I can avoid it!!

Approx 15 feet away on the otherside we have a huge conker tree & I have been advised by my brother-in-law to have that removed for the reasons mentioned above - but I don't really want to if I can help it as this is a fully grown tree & I still get a childish glee come the autumn when the conkers are ready!

Can anyone offer any advice??

[Nicos]

I think it is too close I'm afraid.
You could let it grow for a few more years with the intention of chopping it down, but the roots will certainly start interfering with your house's sub-soil pretty soon.
We looked at asking the council to allow us to cut back an old ash tree (with a TPO) to allow our copper Beech to grow with a view to being a replacement for the Ash when it died. They are about 20 feet apart.
Once I found out that a copper Beech will grow almost twice the height as your house with the same spread sideways, and has a very dense leaf canopy,which will block most of the light(!!!) ,I had a change of mind!
We have decided to pay to have it cut back every couple of years to maintain it's size and shape to about 25 feet. Fortunately it's at the bottom of the garden, about 60 feet away from the house.
If I were you, I'd chop it down before you get too attatched to it, and replace it with a shrub!!
I recall Ian Titchmarsh saying on one of his TV programs that some trees are worth growing for a few years with a view to chopping down and replacing them with another before they get too large.

Re the conker tree - if it's fully grown , I would leave it be as your house will probably have accommodated for it already- it will probably be a problem though if you want to sell your house as the next people's mortgage lenders may insist it is cut down and want you to pay for it...(£400+ I should think)
Hope this is of use to you??

[WiZeR]

I can't give you any advice. But if you do cut down that conker tree..... i'll have it

[Nicos]

Another thought re beech tree...you could cut it back and make it into a shrub...isn't that what beech hedges are made up of???

[Sunbeam]

I have no idea if they are the ones hedges are made from - we looked at a possible beech hedge as they keep their (dead) leaves throught out winter until the new ones come through. But we have decided that we'll put in an 'edible' hedge instead - more wild-life friendly & sloes make fab gin (tee hee) if I can beat the birds to them!

I guess I'll dig the beech out - do you think I'd be able to dig it out without killing it - cos if we can then if someone has the room for it - they can have it! There is also an oak that is approx 3 foot high by my gate that can be dug up and given to anyone with the room for it - it is too near the gate & is growing under some mature trees, so I guess it won't have too much of a chance as it gets bigger - I hate destroying things that have survived their seedling years!

It looks like the conker tree is staying then (yey!!!) but I can send you bags upon bags of conkers - perhaps we should set up a regional conker league come the autumn!