1997 Extension Garden Packet 1997 Extension Garden Packet Vol. By Kim D. Coder Georgia Extension Service Trees are tall and wide-spreading aboveground. Large trees can extend branches more than 60 feet in any direction. Belowground, trees are even more wide-spreading.
Roots colonize large areas of soil in pursuit of water and essential elements the tree needs.
That can lead to real problems around your home and landscape. The root of the problem, though, may not be with the tree, but with people's lack of understanding of how trees grow. Roots, in human terms, are aggressive and active most of the year. They don't enter a dormant period as the top of the tree does. They slow activities with changes in the environment, but they're always ready to take advantage of favorable soil conditions.