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cylo
15-01-2015, 07:22 PM
I noticed some small tree roots making their way into the valve box, wont take long to block up the lines I imagine. theres 3 small sized magnolias nearby, im wondering whether I should just put a spade in the ground between box and trees or is there a chemical of some kind that can deter the roots for a few months at a time, without damaging the trees?

Cheers

Fred's mowing
15-01-2015, 08:05 PM
Yep, valves & tree roots don't mix.
Can u lift up the valves & disguise them?
Failing that, i think you will have to resort to the spade, periodically.
Cheers Fred.

cylo
16-01-2015, 07:38 PM
Yep, valves & tree roots don't mix.
Can u lift up the valves & disguise them?
Failing that, i think you will have to resort to the spade, periodically.
Cheers Fred.

cheers Fred, how do you mean disguise the valves? tomorrow ill put the spade as deep as in can.

Fred's mowing
17-01-2015, 10:37 AM
Depends where the valve box is?
Cant really do it if its in the lawn.
In a garden bed they can be raised to ground level & just sit the box over the top.
This can be further disguised by other plantings, garden ornaments, rocks, box hedges, etc.
Obviously you would need to consider future access to the valves (thats the point of the exercise).
If poss, I would never install valves under ground simply for maintenance reasons.
Harder access, spiders, tree roots, soil coverage, etc are eliminated if the valves are above ground.
I have even been asked to do a repair only to find that a valve box had a cubby built over the top of it:doh
Cheers Fred.

DavidS
27-01-2015, 08:40 AM
I agree with Fred when I did installs I put valve box in gardens if possible, this way you can set them up high and just plant around them. Of course in lawns it had to be just below grass surface. You could try a weak mix of copper oxychloride poured inside valve box. I used to put a bag of this into our septic line as we had wisteria roots invading the line, just installed a IO and then hung the bag from the lid so when water ran down the line it also took some copper oxychloride with it. Kept the line clean, had to replenish every two months.