FAQ for Urban Landscape & Tree Planting
Starting a new urban landscaping project can be confusing, but we’ve got answers to many of the questions you’ll have about our products and how they work.
Questions and answers
Root Management
This will depend on what you are trying to protect or achieve. As a general rule, don’t direct roots deeper than you need to. For example, don’t go 1m deep to protect a pedestrian curb structure where a 300mm deep barrier would be sufficient.
Always give the tree as much space as possible. For smaller species, we can use small root directors to manage roots downwards. If we are installing a barrier deeper than a RootDirector all around the tree then we need to take into consideration the tree’s need for anchorage and access to soil nutrients.
We would normally suggest that a barrier extends to a depth of 2-300mm below the invert level of the service or utility.
The recommended distance is again about 300mm away from the utility. This will ensure that any pressure against the root barrier is not transmitted directly to the service utility. The 300mm is effectively a buffer zone.
Generally we find that if you can show that you have planned the tree planting design to incorporate protection for their utility, they have no difficulty. What they do not like is indiscriminate planting without regard to their investment. We do have on file some copies of letters from utilities suppliers approving the use of RootStop 2000 for protection of their installations.
Any root barrier used must finish at least 10mm above any planting medium (i.e. topsoil) on the tree side otherwise roots could grow over the top. This top edge can be incorporated in a pedestrian curb detail or disguised by groundcover plants or suitable edging material. It does need protecting from traffic or mowers which could damage it.
No, our barriers are resistant to biodegradation and photo degradation (light).
Yes, Root Directors and RootStop are made from recycled plastic and are in turn recyclable at the end on their life.
Yes, in some cases this is the only way trees can be planted near pipes. We recommend that the barrier forms a shallow arch over the service to ensure that it does not collect standing water but drains off both sides.
This would be for the utility company to decide if they would allow, but technically, providing there is sufficient depth of soil (Minimum 800mm) over the root barrier there is no reason why not.
Eventually the barrier could split but by then its purpose will be fulfilled as the root plate pattern will be established at a safe level.
ReRoot 300/600/1000 are extremely versatile products and can be used in different ways. They allow the flexibility of working around underground obstacles and protrusions when trying to create tree pits in congested urban situations. They are also useful for grouping trees together in clusters rather than individual pits – giving the advantage of root space sharing for trees.
Soil Cells
What do StrataCells/RootSpace do?
Yes – the void space ratio in RootCells is 92%, in StrataCells 94.63% and in RootSpace 96%. The space between the support columns is large enough to allow roots to develop and thicken for long term stability and transport of moisture, nutrients and movement of plant sugars around the tree.
The greater the volume you provide for the tree, the more the tree will succeed. Please consult our standard tree pit details for a good starting point. Obviously the answer to this will be species dependent. Three cubic meters of rootable volume should be regarded as a minimum start although a mature tree root system will frequently occupy more than ten times this volume.
As the roots grow into the structure, they meet the support columns and either follow them around or divide. This produces a multiple rooting pattern which is very beneficial, particularly for trees in confined spaces. Graft unions may occur as roots rejoin around columns and proceed through the structure.
RootCells/StrataCells were developed following research into the use of rock soil mixes which showed that even with a soil void ratio of only 18%, roots could proceed through the structure. What RootCells/StrataCells do, is take the advantages of this system and further improve it by increasing the soil content dramatically. This removes the long term disadvantage of rock soil mixes which was the lack of void space for secondary thickening of the root system.
Simple interlocking modules are linked together and assembled in the pit. The modules interlock both horizontally and vertically. The soil is then poured into the structure and lightly compacted either by treading or using a small plate compactor. The plate compactor simply rides across the RootCells/StrataCells, vibrating the structure and allowing the soil to settle, eliminating large unwanted voids.
The first installations were successfully completed in 2001. The current RootCell has built on the experience gained and is further improved.
Yes, but to a degree, planting a tree in a city is unnatural for the tree which is still essentially a living forest plant. What we are doing here is creating a forest floor environment for the trees’ benefit, but at a slightly lower level within the ground.
RootCells/StrataCells should always be installed with adequate drainage and equally importantly with a root ventilation system such as the GreenBlue Infrastructure Solutions Arborvent with two inlets. This will allow some air movement over the RootCells/StrataCells to allow gaseous exchange to take place. This will allow the soil to breathe and live in the longer term.
In practice this doesn’t happen due to the fact that a RootCell/StrataCell structure is normally installed at a depth of 300mm below finished levels and the weight of granular sub base material above prevents surface heave occurring.
Best practice would be to allow the tree the maximum volume of unsupported topsoil against the root ball possible in the circumstances. The RootCells/StrataCells only need to start where their load bearing capability is required. This will allow for the tree’s zone of rapid taper within the tree pit before entering the RootCell/StrataCell soil structure.
No – the RootCells/StrataCells need no additional strength from the soil so it is much better to load with premium sandy loam topsoil to BS3882.
GreenBlue Infrastructure Solutions supply a twin wall geonet textile fabric to protect the top of the structure.
The sides of the RootCell/StrataCell structure are faced with multiple columns giving good lateral support. Void spaces between the RootCell/StrataCell structure and surrounding sub base should be filled with either further RootCell/StrataCells and soil or the edge of the structure should be lined with geotextile and the reverse side be filled with a suitable compactable base material.
Yes. Many tree pits are smaller than we would like but the idea of the RootCells/StrataCells is to maximize the value of the volume that you have got to the tree. Thus by providing optimum rooting conditions within your small tree pit you are giving the tree an excellent start in life and the vigor to grow out further in the long term.
