Read on to learn why trees lean, when you should worry about a leaning tree, and what you can do to fix a leaning tree. 5 years ago. Trees that have been root pruned when successively moved to larger containers have a good chance of survival, but will not be as vigorous as a tree planted directly from an acorn. 4 Jan 2016. Trees are often blamed for subsidence or for roots rampaging through drains and services underground. Generally, trees should sit about 15 feet away from a house. How do you know if a tree is too close to a house’s foundation? Another 4' diameter tree exploded 17 feet from the ground and the upper branches barely missed the house, which was 50' from the tree's trunk. Anonymous. For example, a mature willow tree will draw between 50 and 100 gallons of water per day from the ground around it, having a minimum recommended distance from buildings of 18m, but a birch tree, having a far smaller root system, may be planted far closer to a property without danger of damage. How far away can trees safely be planted from a house? If its a 100 years old and you truly respect your tree stay far away from it like really really far. We have a similar oak in the back of our house. We followed this rule when we built our house 10 years ago and the oak is still doing fine. Another 5' diameter oak fell over from crown rot, but it fell away from the house onto the front lawn. Considerations. Oak tree roots should not be trusted to remain within their intended boundaries even when they are planted what is believed to be a safe distance from septic systems. A leaning tree can worry homeowners, but generally, trees that lean naturally over time are not a cause for concern. My house was built in 1973 and I get two dif stories from locals that leads me to believe that small trees were brought in while building the houses or they left some of the younger trees on the lots that did not interfere with the house, So going by this information my Live Oak is at least 35 years old, maybe older. Some large species need … 1 0. Ideally, therefore, you should plant a tree at a distance from the house at least equal to half its future spread. A potted oak that is 5 feet tall may be root-bound, with a high probability of choking itself to death once in the ground. It's a beautiful tree, clearly as old as the house, but I'm concerned the proximity of the tree could threaten the house foundation or lead to roach infestations. The house is in good condition, and has a big old oak tree 15 or 20 feet from the back of the house. There is a large live oak tree within 10 feet of where the house is going to sit. That will allow it to really flourish. 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