Question
QUESTION: I bought a house in the winter time with what I know now is a mulberry tree,. It stands about 10ft high with a spread of about 6ft. It looks very healthy with an abundance of green leaves.  It grows about 6ft away from the house. |Is this a problem?Is it likely to damage the foundations of the house.  Many thanks in advance of your answer. Beverly

ANSWER: Yes a tree that will grow large will cause a problem this near the house. The roots will be a problem and the limbs will rub the house as it gets older. I would transplant the tree at least 20 feet from the house. The roots will extend out about 1 1/2 times the width of the branches and mulberry will have a spread of 20-30 feet.

Deciduous may be planted either in the spring or the fall. Deciduous plants may be moved in the spring as soon as the frost is out of the ground, up until the time when new foliage is partly unfurled. In the fall, they may be planted once the leaves start to turn color up until the ground freezes.

Digging the root ball:

When you want to dig up a tree or shrub for transplanting, retain as much of the root system as possible.

Older deciduous trees  can be successfully moved only if a ball of soil is left around the roots. The exposed roots should be protected with moist burlap or newspaper or with polyethylene sheeting. Every effort should be made to reduce root exposure to wind and sun, keeping the ball as moist as possible. It's best to prepare the hole before digging up the tree you wish to move.

Size of the root ball and size of the hole:

For deciduous trees and shrubs the soil ball should be:

Width = 9-12 in. in diameter/every 1 in. of tree diameter
Depth = 6 in./every 1 in. of tree diameter

For example: A tree trunk 2 inches wide would need a soil ball of 18-24 inches wide and 12 inches deep.

Dig the new hole twice the size of the root ball and as deep and fill with good top soil or potting soil. Mulch around the tree with not more than 3 inches deep of organic mulch not piled up on the trunk.

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QUESTION: Many thanks for your very informative answer. My garden is small and 20ft away from the house would take it close to the fence.  I can't see any answer other than taking it out completely. The question is if I don't get all the roots out will they grow and sprout all over the garden.  Many thanks again. Beverly

Answer
Sorry you are going to have to remove the tree. The easiest thing to do to keep the root system from sprouting is cut the tree and as soon as possible paint a herbicide called Roundup on the cut stump. Use an old paint brush and the Roundup straight from the container. Let the herbicide be transported by the stump for about two weeks and then you can dig the stump without any sprouts.