Question: How close to my foundation and drive can I plant my trees and large shrubs?

Answer: This concern is blown out of reality. Granted, large tree roots can do a great deal of damage to adjacent concrete. However, if your trees are 10 to 15 feet from your house or drive, or if large shrubs are 6 to 7 feet away, you should never see any damage. If you’re concerned you can always trench between the trunk and the concrete, then install a heavy vinyl root barrier 16 to 18 inches into the soil. That will prevent additional root growth under the concrete.