If you want to renew your plantings or beautify your garden, it is important to think beforehand about the presence of pipes, underground. Locate them to avoid any damage or damage. In particular, it is useful to know the growth of plants.
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Why can certain plants be problematic for pipes?
Some plants may be incompatible with a space already occupied by pipes. Indeed, their roots can damage the pipes, or even enter and develop if they are pierced with small holes. The root system can clog or deteriorate pipes.
Plants are in perpetual search for water to feed and develop. They draw it, via their roots which can go down several meters deep. Therefore, it is enough that a pipe is obsolete, cracked or porous, or that a seal no longer performs its sealing role for the roots of the plant to make their way to reach the wetland. They can also weaken pipes.
Which plants to plant?
It is recommended to choose plants that grow on the surface, have slow growth and shallow or poorly developed roots. Also opt for water-efficient plantations. If your pipe is well buried you can also select perennials.
The following plants may be selected:
- Hazelwood
- Pine
- The fir tree
- Elderberry
- Carnation
- The iris
- The panicaut
- Ball thistle
- The laurel
- Lavender
- Honeysuckle
- Rosemary
- Yucca
- Rhododendron
- Broom
Read alsoHow to avoid freezing your pipes during the winter?
What are the plants and trees to be avoided near the pipes?
To avoid possible damage, aggravation of leaks, here is a list of plants to avoid planting near a pipe:
- Bamboo
- Oak
- The olive tree
- The plane tree
- Poplar
- Willow
- Thuja
- Linden
- Birch
- Willow
- The fig tree
- The mulberry tree
Good to know
These trees should also be planted away from homes so as not to damage the foundations.
Read alsoIn France, 20% of water is lost due to leaks in pipes
What are the practical planting tips?
Remember that a plant grows on the surface but also underground with a root system, more or less important depending on the species. Make an accurate inventory to know where the pipes are located and make sure that future plantings do not reach them.
Be sure to position your trees 3 m from the pipe. For one shrub, count 1.5 m. Most of the time, it is recommended to plant trees, on average, at least 80 centimeters deep. For a shrub, plan about fifty cm deep.
Good to know
If you install a plant near a pipe, avoid sudden gestures when digging the hole, so that your tool does not damage the pipe. Also avoid power tools, practical to save time and make less effort: they could pierce the pipe if you let yourself be overtaken by the speed at which it pierces the ground.
For better prevention, you can install an anti-root barrier, so that planting and draining do not come into contact, blocking the roots.
If you know the underground location of the pipes, approximately, be sure to plant your flowers, trees and shrubs away from them.
Counsel
If you notice a soggy area, a puddle in a place where it is not supposed to be and it does not dry, try to quickly see if a pipe has not been weakened. This will prevent the water from spreading further and damaging your outdoor space. Call a professional to repair if necessary.
