Shallow rock stunts tree growth

The house I live in is built directly onto solid rock and there are no foundations whatsoever. The rock, which is a white limestone is great for building on and probably one of the reasons that the house was built in the first place - because materials were freely available. Every time the field is ploughed, large rocks, sometimes the size of a wheelbarrow are hauled to the surface and have to be removed from the field. The soil though is extremely fertile and crops grow very well. We are not in a wine region but there are little pockets of vines, usually grown to produce wine for personal consumption or for barter in the surrounding commune. The picture shows an abandoned vineyard of about an acre and is attached to a house that is currently empty. The owner Mr Robért died and his estate is subject to dispute amongst his siblings. The whole garden is now overgrown but it is so typical of self sufficiency with apple, pear, plum, nectarine, fig, walnut, cherry all growing in and around the garden. Take a look at this oak tree that is growing in the vineyard, It is perfectly rounded but the trunk is short and the crown very low to the ground. This is a direct result of having very shallow soil and rock close to the surface. The roots are forced to grow out rather than down and it stunts the tree growth. I belive that this is a deliberate and instinctive act on the trees part because of the lack or anchorage as it strives to keep its profile low and under the wind (it is on top of a hill too). The vine roots will be working through the fractures and fissures down as much as twenty metres to find the pure water supply. I used to live on Shortheath Common in Oakhanger where the oak trees suffered with the same problem but their restriction was caused by a hard sandstone and black sand layer that restricted their roots. Click on the image to enlarge to full size.

Hi Phil,

Are you sure the tree was not grazed by a horse for example that cause it's low crown? I know you weren't around when this could have happened. Trees only grow subject to the ground / climate etc.

The reason I am saying this is, in Somerset, merry old england which you have forsaken for that more diverst culture called francaise something .. The ordinary robinia fasc .. can grow to 80 feet tall on a blue lais base thats solid limestone, in only two feet of soil.
I did a garden years ago that had the stump 4' dia. of such a tree. Because it couldn't go down the roots spread out covering an area of 30m2 and once felled had started to sucker all over the lawn.

It was at least 80 years old a beauiful tree. I had no part in cutting it down only removing with a JCB. The object of the excerise was to replace the farm fencing and plant a new hornbeam hedge inside.

I know climate plays a most important part in all this too. The rainfall average here is about 28 inches.
I like the sound of your neighbour's long neglected orchard - reminds my of my childhood in NZ.
Hope you enjoyed it!

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Comments

Andrew Tabor November 24, 2009 at 8:18pm

Hi Phil,

Are you sure the tree was not grazed by a horse for example that cause it's low crown? I know you weren't around when this could have happened. Trees only grow subject to the ground / climate etc.

The reason I am saying this is, in Somerset, merry old england which you have forsaken for that more diverst culture called francaise something .. The ordinary robinia fasc .. can grow to 80 feet tall on a blue lais base thats solid limestone, in only two feet of soil.
I did a garden years ago that had the stump 4' dia. of such a tree. Because it couldn't go down the roots spread out covering an area of 30m2 and once felled had started to sucker all over the lawn.

It was at least 80 years old a beauiful tree. I had no part in cutting it down only removing with a JCB. The object of the excerise was to replace the farm fencing and plant a new hornbeam hedge inside.

I know climate plays a most important part in all this too. The rainfall average here is about 28 inches.
I like the sound of your neighbour's long neglected orchard - reminds my of my childhood in NZ.
Hope you enjoyed it!
PRO

Phil Voice November 24, 2009 at 8:46pm

Hi Andrew

I cannot be certain that is wasn't grazed by horses or cows but the canopy looks perfectly rounded and there doesn't appear to be any uneven damage.

As it is vineyard there is a possibility that the farmer cultivated between the rows with a rotovator or plough (seems common practice amongst the vines near Bergerac) and the tree could be stunted in a similar what a bonsai would.

Saying that, the tree seems exactly the same growth habit as the oak tree on the common where I sued to live.

We picked loads of cherries in early summer but never got around to harvesting all the apples or plums:)