Protruding Tree Roots - How to Deal With?

[MikeQBF]

I have an acre of "mongrel" lawn with six old trees, all of which have surface roots that confound easy mowing around or over. If I wasn't careful, I would occasionally bang my old rider's deck against one, sometime bending the lip enough to rub the blade. Then there were two or three instances of moving around them too fast and the deck would bounce up and over the root, coming down for full contact with the blade. That cost a spindle replacement each time.

I was able to get rid of one in the middle of an expanse of lawn, 15-20 feet from the tree; it received the business end of a chainsaw and was cut nearly flush. For a few others, the protrusion was just low enough to gently shave with a push mower to get it (and my mower) out of harm's way. That was a couple of years ago, so between tree growth and soil subsidence around the roots, I'm back into paranoid mode about the (brand) new mower striking roots.

This is NOT a finely landscaped area, mostly a derelict vacant field I've managed to reseed into something resembling less than a weed patch that looks pretty good after a fresh mow job. So decorative edged mulch areas around the trees to cordon them off is not on the project agenda. I just want to protect the mower without killing the trees in the process.

Thoughts? Thanks!

 

[LeeDonna]

Chemical removal of stumps (come and rootstock) is based on the processes that occur in wood under the influence of various reagents. Exposure to the suitable reagent not only kills all wood, including even not too large roots but also destroys all pathogens of the trunk and roots. Apply chemical destruction and stump removal is worthwhile only if the side effects have no effect on the land's further use or can be neutralized. However, each of the methods harms the soil, so the technique of chemical exposure must be chosen, taking into account this impact to minimize the harm to the subsequent use of the land. But you should apply only to dougstreeserviceantioch.com

 

[Charlie8d]

I have a few in my yard, too. I fill in the areas with dirt & pack it down. I skip the area with a mower til it is solid. I raise the deck when around those.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Why grow grass under the tree around the root zone.
Put in a loose retaining wall around the trees and fill in with mulch
Put a seat & table there
Stop & have a beer under the shade when mowing on a hot day.
or
Put in the edging and fill the space under the trees with bromelades or things like agapanthis , clivas etc that clump mostly above the ground.

Why make life hard for you & your mower.