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SEPTIC SYSTEMS HOME SEPTIC SYSTEM ARTICLES HOME BUYERS GUIDE to SEPTIC SYSTEMS HOME SELLERS GUIDE TO SEPTIC INSPECT SEPTIC AUTHORITIES SEPTIC BOOKS SEPTIC CONSULTANTS SEPTIC DRAINFIELD INSPECTION & TEST SEPTIC FIELD FAILURE CAUSES DISPOSAL CLOGGING FAILURES DISPOSAL vs TREATMENT SEPTIC DRAINFIELD LIFE SEPTIC FAILURE CRITERIA SOIL CONDITIONS PLANTS OVER SEPTICS Gardens Near Septics Grasses or Flowers Grazing, Animals Ground Cover, Ivy Trees or Shrubs Using Root Killers Using a Roto Rooter SEPTIC FAILURE LAWSUIT SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN BASICS SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN ALTERNATIVES SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECTION & TEST GUIDE SEPTIC SYSTEMS ONLINE BOOK SEPTIC TANK PUMPING SCHEDULE SEPTIC TANK PUMPING PROCEDURE SEPTIC TANK INSPECTION PROCEDURE SEPTIC TREATMENTS & CHEMICALS SEPTIC BOOKS REFERENCES CODES SEWER LINE REPLACEMENT TOILET ALTERNATIVES VIDEO GUIDES: Septic Videos VIDEO GUIDES - InspectAPedia.com WASTEWATER TREATMENT BASICS WATER, WELLS, WATER TANKS: TESTING GUIDE WHAT CAN GO INTO TOILETS & DRAINS? More Information InspectAPedia® Home & Site Map Air Conditioning & Heat Pumps Bookstore Electrical Environment Exteriors Heating Home Inspection Insulate Ventilate Interiors Mold Inspect/Test Plumbing Water Septic Roofing Structure Accuracy & Privacy Policies Contact Us |
Planting Guidelines for Septic Drainfields, Mounds, Raised Beds, Septic Tanks and other Septic ComponentsThis chapter discusses the types of plants that should or should not be planted over or near septic fields or other septic system components. Planting trees, shrubs, and even some ground covers over septic system components are causes of septic system failure in the drain field, leach field, seepage bed, or similar components. © Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website. Guide to Planting Trees or Shrubs Near or Over Septic Absorption Systems
How much distance is needed between trees and septic drainfields?Whether you are planting trees or planning a new septic drainfield, keep the drainfield or septic leach field away from trees or shrubs which are likely to put down deep or aggressive roots. The roots will quickly invade and clog the buried effluent lines and may also cause them to move, break, or become disconnected. The actual tree to septic distance needed depends on the tree variety and its normal root growth range. Keep at least as much distance between the tree and the nearest drainfield component as the anticipated height of the tree at its maturity. So if the tree will be 30' tall at maturity keep it at least 30' from the drainfield. Some trees should be kept at much greater distances, up to 100' from septic fields, as we discuss just below. What kinds of trees should be kept farthest away from septic systems?Trees considered to have deep and/or aggressive roots that are likely to damage a drainfield include:
Kahn, Allen, Jones (book cited at Septic Systems Home-References) point out that certain of these trees such as bamboo, weeping willows, eucalyptus, cypress, Monterey pine, pepper, and walnut have particularly aggressive and deep roots. Keep such trees at least 100 feet from the nearest septic field component. Can I Plant Non-aggressive Rooting Trees near Septic Drainfields?Some trees have less aggressive roots and may do less rapid or less extensive damage if they are a bit nearer to septic fields. These include:
OPINION-DF: Some authors accept the near-septic use of these less aggressive trees with the advice that "... their damage is likely to be less severe". This seems silly to me. Any root clogging of septic systems is likely to be costly and inconvenient. If you have a shrub for which you have reliable knowledge about the maximum extent its roots will normally reach, you might think it’d be ok to plant it exactly that distance from the nearest drainfield trench. But I’d be careful: the extra levels of nutrients delivered to the soils by the drainfield may attract roots from nearby trees or shrubs and cause them to travel farther than usual. OPINION-DF: I’d keep shrubs with a “known” root travel distance at least 25% farther than that "known root travel distance" from the edge of a drainfield. Guide to Planting Trees near Septic Mound SystemsSome experts (Kahn, Allen, Jones) also point out that if you're planting on the edges and lower toe of a septic mound, those plants need to be able to tolerate the higher moisture levels found in those parts of the mound system. In the photo at the top of this page, our field in northern Minnesota provided ample room to place septic system components more than 100 feet from the nearest tree. But what about those tire track that show up in light snow? Driving over the drainfield can also damage it. ... Technical Reviewers & References
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