Is DH right or is he full of you-know-what?

[sparkles2307]

So, we have this big, flat, wide open yard...with NOTHING in it for landscaping...not even a tree! We have trees on the E & W property lines in rows, but the actual lawn is this vast expanse of nothing. DH says we cant put ANYTHING in the yard (I like ornamental trees) because the roots will infiltrate the septic or sump drain lines or some crap. He also cant stand not seeing who drives by on the road... I never lived in a house that had lines that go ALL over the yard. You can see the strips of longer grass where the sump drain line is, and where there is one other drain but I dont know what it is cause it comes from the OPPOSITE side of the house than the septic is on. The Septic system, BTW, is not remotely close to where I want these trees/flower beds. Oh and the newest lame excuse (from the man who owns 5 tractors, 2 have buckets on the front) "It will make snow drift over the driveway..." Really? REALLY?!? So, does this sound like lame excuses to you? I already ordered my trees fm ArborDay and intend to USE them... I think that if I go 50 ft from the drain lines they will be safe for YEARS and by the time they would have any trouble we would prolly need to replace them anyway! Like I said, I have never lived in a house like this, so maybe he is right about all these lines and stuff... but it sounds fishy to me, esp when Gma and Gpa's house next door has the same setup as us and she has a veritable PARK in her yard its so thick with trees....

 

[wifezilla]

I bet there are already tree roots from those other trees in the area...LOL

I have to get my line snaked about every 3 years due to tree roots, but I have trees right by the service line to the street. It is still totally worth it.

Flowers WILL NOT cause any problems. Even if you do plant trees, like you said, it will be years before there are any problems, and even then it is easy to fix.

He also cant stand not seeing who drives by on the road

Does he realize if he can see out, they can see in?

 

[sparkles2307]

No kidding. OK so I need to send the stinker away for the weekend and get to digging!? I ordered such beautiful trees. I have plans for beds all thru the yard... I am glad that someone who actually deals with this can help me! Thanks Wifezilla

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. You got it right that he wants his view preserved.

Well, let me tell you, when we bought our first house, my husband wanted to keep the lawn LAWN!!!!! He was pretty adamant about it. I asked him, "what for?" Because he might some day want to run around barefoot in the grass or play frisbee with the dog we have never owned (because he thinks dogs are too expensive). LOL

Well, I started planting intensively in one area of the backyard and expanded toward the lawn. Turns out he preferred it and eventually the designated lawn shrunk quite a bit.

I say start planting somewhere he won't mind and he will probably come around to seeing it your way. But also, keep a nicely shaped bit of lawn for him to waste his time mowing! To be fair, it is nice to have the contrast between planted area and flat lawn.

 

[vfem]

Slacker!!!

My husband tried that junk on me too... now I have a veggie garden, grape vine, and a ton of trees that I hope get bigger one day.

He changed his view when he decided HE wanted apple trees.

I would keep away from super evasive root system trees... one's that need HIGH water like Willows and stuff... those get HUGE root systems that go straight for septic lines and wells, causing mad damage.

Go for smaller decorative trees, they'll keep their root systems in line better. Some trees can grow roots 3x their branch length... while other breeds are more compact root systems and only let them roots get as wide as their branches do.

As for the leach field... you have less of an issue if you plant toward the end of it.... furthest away from the actual tank is best.

Don't you worry... he's giving you a hard time to have things his way!

 

[patandchickens]

DH says we cant put ANYTHING in the yard (I like ornamental trees) because the roots will infiltrate the septic or sump drain lines or some crap.

For sure you wouldn't want invasive-rooted things like willows, poplars, aspen, silver maple anywhere near the septic system.

Small ornamental trees, or deeply taprooted trees, or those with very shallow root systems, are generally considered safe as long as the leachfield, tank and buried pipes are distinctly beyond the dripline of the mature tree.

I think that if I go 50 ft from the drain lines they will be safe for YEARS and by the time they would have any trouble we would prolly need to replace them anyway!

Agreed, provided you avoid the agressive rooted spp mentioned above.

Although, it seems to me that it'd be nice if you and DH could come to some sort of *compromise*, since he (with his preferences) gotta live there TOO

Good luck, have fun,

Pat, whose husband mostly doesn't care as long as I don't put in too many itty bitty islands of things to be mown around

 

[vfem]

Pat, whose husband mostly doesn't care as long as I don't put in too many itty bitty islands of things to be mown around

That is EXACTLY what my husband said to me!!!!!!!!!

 

[Beekissed]

Yes! Lame excuses! I like the idea of quietly encroaching on this expanse of lawn by filling in the edges and creeping out, but not creating difficult mowing areas.....nice smooth, flowing curves make for the best mowing edges. Maybe soon there will be nothing much to mow!

Here's an idea...tell him you want to save fuel and mower repair costs, so you want to put up temporary electric fencing and raise some meat on the grass.....like a few sheep or something. That ought to get you what you want in the way of nice, quiet, easy to tend trees, shrubs and flowers!

 

[sparkles2307]

Yes I had this wunnerful idea that I could do like an 8' wide bed around 2 edges, the two that are on the opposite end of the yard from his drain lines... and a few smooth shaped islands in the center. The trees I ordered I dont THINK will be an issue...A Northern Catalpa, Kentucky Coffee Tree, some magnolia that grows in zone 3-4, a Red Maple, and a white flowering shrub that wont get big at all. SO I dont "think" those trees would cause a problem??? We have an amazing apple tree in the back yard, not very big, DH's dad never pruned it so it bushed out, so we dont want to mess with that for now. By itself it produces a pickup bed full each year (it took last year off to my dismay) of the reddest, sweetest, most crunchy fruit ever. But there is plenty of room int he back yard for another tree is any of the trees I listed above would be a bad idea in the front.

 

[patandchickens]

The red maple is the only one that strikes me as at *all* questionable, I'd just put that further from any septic field or buried water lines than the others. Doesn't necessarily have to be in the back yard though.

Have fun,

Pat