To be sure, the temperate UK climate is forgiving but if you can.

May 27, Pruning a tap root is easy. You just cut it off. The problem is knowing how much to cut off and when.

A tree will start growing its tap root as soon as it germinates. The first root out of the seed will usually become the tap root. It will just keep getting bigger and stronger until you deal with it.

You can cut a tap root off at any point of a. Sep 29, How can I cut tree roots without killing the tree? Again, if you cut tree roots, there is never a guarantee that it won’t hurt or eventually kill the tree. We only recommend removing tree roots when they are damaging or infringing on a nearby structure – not for aesthetic reasons. For the best chance of your tree surviving, consult with your local arborist before removing tree roots. Or see if your arborist can prune the roots for you.

For DIY root cutting. Nov 28, Cutting a tree root that is larger than 2 inches in diameter or cutting too close to the trunk interferes with the structure of the tree. Roots provide the support necessary to keep your tree.

Mar 01, The more of these roots that are destroyed, the more the tree’s ability to feed itself is impacted. Cutting roots is not the only way these roots are killed. Damage also occurs through compaction of the soil from heavy equipment repeatedly driving over the root zone or construction supplies being stored under and around the tree.

Since a tap root is primarily an anchorage structure and bears little responsibility for providing the tree with nutrients and soil moisture (except in extremely arid climates where the tap root can be a water seeker), I have a hard time imagining how cutting off a tap root at a reasonable depth is any different from the root"pruning" that takes place when a tree is harvested for B&B.

Obviously, in this situation, this will lead to the trees doing quite well for a number of years before eventually growing sick and dying as the taproot meets the barrier of bedrock. What I'd like to do is cut the taproot after the trees have reached an acceptable height, but not so early on as to make them as small as a bonsai.