It's tempting to trim or cover any tree roots found on your property. But, either of these can be dangerous for the tree or you.

This article will discuss why exposed tree roots shouldn't be cut or added with soil. Your tree could suffer severe injury if you do either. We will also cover ways to fix exposed roots of trees without cutting or covering.

Cutting Roots: The Dangers

The following are reasons that cutting exposed tree roots can lead to a problem:

• Injury to the tree. You can injure the tree by cutting its roots. This could make it more unhealthy. An unhealthy tree on your land is cause for concern as it can lead to injury, property damage, or even the death of the tree. A professional arborist can help you assess the tree's health if it is damaged or dying.

• Trim the tree. A cut to an exposed tree root could cause enough damage to render it unusable. Because it's impossible to determine the root system beneath the tree, you might be cutting a primary source of nutrients. The likelihood of the tree being able to survive is greatly reduced in this case.

• Tree stability is endangered. Unstable trees can pose a danger for people and property. Like an injured tree, an unbalanced tree can cause major property damage, death, and injury. Extreme weather patterns can make this even more true. Therefore, it is crucial to prune your trees frequently.

• Can cause the tree to lose nutrients. The root you are cutting may be a major resource of nutrients and water. Cutting off the exposed root will stop the vital flow of nutrients and water to the main branch of the tree. It will eventually become unhealthy, unstable, and unsafe.

Problems with Adding Additional Soil

The solution is not to add soil. It will only lead to:

Never ignore the root problem: Tree roots are engineered to spread beneath the surface of the earth. Tree roots exposed to your property may indicate a deeper problem, such as soil erosion.

Restricts the nutrients available to trees: Covering the tree roots with soil can make it impossible for them to receive the proper amount of oxygen (yes, even tree roots require oxygen). This could be the exact reason that roots came to the surface.

How to Deal with Exposed Roots of Trees

Mulch or compost can be used for roots. Mulch, which is lighter and less dense than soil, will not cause the roots to become suffocated. The mulch can also be covered with a different type of groundcover. A lighter option is compost. This has more pore spaces which allow oxygen to penetrate deeper into the soil. This can be used as a medium to plant groundcovers such as Pachysandra or Vinca Minor, Ivy, and Jasmine. It is important to ensure that the groundcover does not overwhelm the root.

Limit access to the exposed root(s). Another option would be to restrict or cut off access. This will help to reduce the possibility of the root being broken or someone tripping over it.

Add foliage. It all depends on the location of the exposed root(s). Another option is to add plants and shrubs in the vicinity. This will discourage foot traffic and make it difficult for others to see the exposed root(s). However, you should be careful not to use plants that attract animals as this could cause further problems.