Warning: The city's new 'storm proof' tree planting in Denver has me worried

I was walking through the new Riverfront Park project last week and saw they planted over fifty young silver maples in a tight grid, all with the same deep root barrier system. The foreman on site said it was a 'modern, low maintenance approach' to handle high winds, but I think it sets them up for weak, tangled root systems and future failure. Has anyone else seen this method used and had to deal with the long term problems?

4 comments

4 Comments

kimmurphy1mo ago

My neighbor's silver maple cracked a sidewalk after just eight years with a similar setup.

hill.margaret1mo ago

Yeah, that's the risk with those fast growers. Roots just go where they want.

jasonallen1mo ago

Actually, silver maples are known for shallow, wide root systems, not deep ones. Those root barriers might be forcing the roots to grow in a circle, which can lead to girdling. I saw a study from Colorado State that showed girdled roots cause stability issues after about fifteen years.

wesley_jones1d ago

But you're missing the whole point of the barrier. It's not about stopping roots, it's about steering them DOWN. Without it, those shallow roots go straight for the sewer line. I'd rather deal with a circled root in fifteen years than a flooded basement next spring. That Colorado study was on a slope, not a flat yard like most people have.