For the best chance of your tree surviving, consult with your local arborist before removing.

Of course cutting all the tree roots will in fact kill the tree. A general rule for cutting tree roots is don’t cut more than 25% of the root system. Measure the trunk diameter at about 4 feet from the ground. Take that measurement and multiply it by 6. Mark off that distance from the trunk and that is about where 25% of the roots can be cut.

See image below. For rpa removing trees northumberland va if you have a 12″ diameter trunk 4 feet Estimated Reading Time: 2 mins. May 31, If it is a large root, cutting it could damage the tree.

If it’s a smaller root depending on the size of the tree, it can usually be removed without any major issues. We also want to determine the best place to cut the root. You don’t want to just start hacking away at the root any old place. You want to measure the diameter of the trunk and then multiply that number by eight. This will represent the closest place in inches where you can cut the bushlopping.barted Reading Time: 3 mins.

Cut the ends of roots that need to be trimmed. Make clean cuts through the roots, sawing through them with a root saw.

From the trunk, trim roots no closer than the distance of three times the trunk's diameter. Do not trim roots beyond points where the diameter reaches the size of a fist or larger.

Sep 29, Generally, you can safely prune roots that are times the diameter away from your tree. So, if your tree has a diameter of 3 feet, only cut tree roots feet away from the tree. Mark the area you’ll cut, and dig a hole all the way around the root until it is completely exposed.

Use a root saw to prune the tree. You can cut through the root pressing the saw against the roots. How fast it will make a slice through the roots will depend on the quality, sharpness, performance of your saw and its blade. If the soil has no rock under it, the saw will go smoothly and make cuts through the soil bushlopping.barted Reading Time: 9 mins.