Flat root system
Vinegar trees develop a highly branched root system, consisting of a main root and numerous side roots. The main root can reach up to two meters deep into the earth. The lateral roots run flat through the upper layers in the soil. It can move up to ten meters from the mother plant and sprout in other places. This property makes the vinegar tree a dreaded ornamental wood, because the local flora is displaced by uncontrolled expansion.
also read
- Which plants are suitable for underplanting the hydrangea?
- Star magnolia: which methods are suitable for propagation?
- Which trees are suitable for clay soil
Unsuitable measures
Root barriers help to prevent the spread. These are sunk into the ground when the bushes are planted and act as a barrier to the roots from spreading. Vinegar trees develop strong side roots. Therefore, a conventional pond liner is not enough. With the tip of the roots, the bushes drill holes in the material and overcome the barrier.
There is also a risk with clay pots, because the moisture in the substrate can make the material brittle. In addition, vessels that are too small are not very successful. The fast-growing trees can quickly break through the tubs with their powerful runners.
Suitable root barriers
Choose a sufficiently large stone vessel with no bottom or one Rain barrelwhere you cut off the bottom end. After a few years, the vinegar tree will have rooted the area inside the barrier. Due to the lack of space, many shrubs wither and look ugly. You can easily rejuvenate such trees with cuttings. A film made of high-pressure polyethylene is a stable alternative to vessels. It should be at least two millimeters thick.
Advantages of the HDPE film:
- high root strength
- individually cut to size
- environmentally friendly material
It's difficult to find one Rhizome barrier to be subsequently brought into the ground. You have to cut through and dig up all runners in advance so that they do not sprout again. To sink closed vessels, you either have to dig out the entire rhizome or put the lock over the tree. Both approaches damage the tree, which promotes the development of saplings and shoots. HDPE film can also be laid in the floor at a later date.
