fruit trees on septic lines?

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I would like to plant some semi-dwarf fruit trees near my septic lines but am worried about roots getting in the lines. Do they have extensive roots, not to mention disease transmition from the septic? Thanks for any help. k

-- karen in B.C. (karengrandmaison@hotmail.com), March 02, 2002

Answers

where I live septic systems are highly regulated & permitted, cost $5000 or more to install. I sure wouldn't risk it. Where you are might be diferent - if it gets messed up, might be cheap to repair.

--->Paul

-- paul (ramblerplm@hotmail.com), March 02, 2002.


As to disease transmission, don't think that is much of a problem with fruit trees but the roots getting into the lines will be a problems, probably an expensive problem. Some people do advocate growing crops over a septic field, but not root crops, check the archives and previous posts on this subject. The archives are at the bottom of the main page.

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), March 02, 2002.

I wouldn't do it. If you have trouble with the drain sometime, for any reason, and have to dig the leach lines up, there would go your trees. Better to play it safe and keep them away. Never thought of the disease angle one way or the other, but I would think that's a problem for direct consumption of vegetable matter that has had contaminated dirt thrown on it and then not washed properly. Seems to me a high growing fruit would be safe from that?

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), March 02, 2002.

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