Concreted-in beech tree hedge

Hi

Our neighbours have had some people in putting up a new fence in the corner of their garden. The fencing runs up to and adjacent to the end of the beech hedge dividing our gardens. The people putting the fence have dug a hole next to one of the main "trunks" of the hedge and concreted the fence-post into place. As a result this has effectively concreted the trunk of the beech tree as well.

Is this going to affect the hedge at all?

Thanks.

 

As long as not many roots were cut then it ought to be ok.

 

If the beech tree survives, the fence won't. The beech will gradually expand and break the concrete. I have a sycamore that my father planted about 60 years ago, I concreted the drive (4" thick) about 30 years ago and the drive is now breaking up due to the expanding roots.

 

This is a beech hedge (about 8 feet tall, 5 feet wide, 50 feet long), not a tree so it isn't going to grow or expand much. The "trunk" is currently around 6 inches.

It doesn't look like too many roots were cut either.

So hopefully it sounds like it should be fine still - phewww!

Thanks for the quick feedback, much appreciated! :-)

 

Jonah

I've acquired an established beech hedge with my new house and I've been impressed with how tough it is - above and below ground. For instance, all the books tell you that beech doesn't like waterlogged ground but my hedge regularly gets its feet very wet when my soakaway overflows and the hedge just laps it up. Root damage would have to be really extensive to kill a beech of the size you're describing, I reckon.