Root barrier to protect vegetable beds

[LittleEars]

My property is next to a fishing lake and there are some very tall poplars, with conifers planted in between them, a meter or so from the boundary.

They are far enough from the house not to worry, but the roots are taking all the life from my vegetable beds.

A couple of years ago I dug the worst out, but predictably they are back under the vegetable beds.

I am considering root barriers but wondered if anyone can offer any insight into whether they are likely to make a difference.

There are quite a few options available, so any insight into this would also be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Gordon Tarling]

Grow your veg in raised beds that have a closed/solid bottom? Hard to stop tree roots, they even got into our drains.

G.

 

[LittleEars]

Thanks for the reply. Would stop the worms too!

 

[Sideways]

I love trees but it's annoying when people plant them too close to their boundaries with no thought about the size they will reach.
I'd have no hesitation in cutting the roots that go under your fence. Conifers have pretty shallow roots, if you put in a physical barrier it wouldn't have to be super deep.

 

[Tris]

The beds at Great Dixter were protected from yew tree roots by sheets of corrugated tin buried on edge, so about 75 cm. I've successfully kept conifer roots out with 45cm dpc buried on edge, but poplars can run a long way and are hungry. I'd suggest the dpc then take a look at Charles Dowdings no dig system, or get an allotment somewhere away from trees

 

[LittleEars]

I'm hoping they found the lake and just stopped looking

 

[Fitzroy]

The black and green gridded weed fabric does not work. I built some raised beds with a holly tree about 4' away. The year after I dug it over and it was full of roots from the holly tree and sweet peas that grow bloomin' everywhere. I've some corrugated iron off a roof that I'm thinking of putting in the bottom when I dig them over later in the year.

 

[Ozi]

Friend of mine made raised beds on a concrete slab, just to avoid breaking it up, put a bail of straw at the bottom then well rotted muck and a little soil on top, after 3 years we dug it out to replace the straw and add some more muck. Biggest worm farm I ever saw. I think you would be alright with the bottom solid.

 

[Jameshow]

How about using some prefab concrete garage panels... Cheap as chips if not free?!

 

[Inspector]

Neighbour put up a greenhouse last fall. He dug down to hardpan on the inside and put sheets of pressure treated plywood in the trench to stop the couch grass from getting in from outside. Working so far.

Pete