Tree Roots & Sprinkler Pipes
The root grew around the pipe, finally breaking it.
It always amazes me how powerful tree roots can be. They can heave up sidewalks and driveways and break water and sewer lines. It’s also amazing to see to what lengths they’ll go to find water. Here in Southern Nevada, growing downward isn’t usually an option for tree roots because of the hard soil, so they typically stay near the surface and compete with lawn and other plants for their water. The center tap root usually wanders around in the hole the tree was planted in, looking for a way down. It changes direction several times in its quest, resulting in a gnarly ball, then it gives up and heads sideways like the rest of the roots.
Traditional tree diagrams usually show the root system as a near reflection of the canopy, with the limits of the roots roughly coinciding with the tree’s drip line. Maybe in ideal soil and climate conditions, but certainly not here in the desert. This weekend, my back yard developed an underground gusher as a tree root 20 feet beyond the edge of my apricot tree’s canopy finally succeeded in breaking a section of sprinkler pipe. The root had made nearly a full twist around the pipe, and as it continued to grow, it pulled the pipe on both sides of a joint in opposite directions, finally breaking the joint. I know that’s not as impressive as heaving a section of concrete upward 8 or 10 inches, but it was unexpected, since the damage was so far away from the tree.
As it grew, the root developed a perfect impression of the pipe.
Looking at the root without the pipe, it’s evident the two have been close companions for years. There’s a perfect impression of the pipe in the root. If you look closely, it’s not too difficult to even see where the pipe joint was. I have to wonder how many more spots there are along the system of pipes under my back lawn that are slowly being pulled apart by their thirsty companions.