Should I cut down this tree?

[DDillon]

Hi all,

Got an old 1960s-era concrete pool with a fiberglass shell in Austin TX. There is a 3 foot concrete patio + coping around the perimeter, which is bordered by thick ground cover where squirrels love to bury their seeds. We are constantly tearing out volunteer trees out of fear that the roots will damage the concrete shell but in recent years we’ve started to wonder whether this is really necessary—especially with the ungodly heat and a desire to retain some shade around the pool where possible. So here’s my question. We have a 10’ pecan tree growing 7’6” from the pool edge (and 4’6” from the concrete patio). Is this too close? I have no idea how thick the concrete shell is underneath the concrete patio, or whether I should be concerned about damage to the pool structure. The plumbing on this pool is very simple—one line from the skimmer to pump and one line out to two nearby return jets; all the underground plumbing seems far enough away from the tree so I think it’s really a structural question. Would love any and all advice. Photos attached. Thanks!

Daniel
Austin, TX

 

[PoolGate]

Pecan trees have very large and spread-out root systems. 50-70 feet. They recommend planting them 20 feet or more from structures including driveways.

 

[Texas Splash]

I feel your pain. While trees are a nice feature and can provide some benefits around our pool, they also come with potential baggage - roots and debris. Our pool was lined wiht gorgeous Italian Cypress I planted in 2013, but they took a hit during the 2021 freeze and never bounced back. While I miss their magestic look, they made pool life difficult with debris, birds, etc. My pool is much cleaner after removing them. As for roots, I'm not sure how aggressive yours are, but you might be able to do some Google searches about them.

Let's see if any other members have experience with your trees. Have a nice weekend.

 

[Joshii]

I can't speak much about how safe it is for your pool, but I don't think it is appropriate to have a giant tree growing so close to your pool. It's odd, landscape wise, and it will be a practical nightmare. Get some umbrellas instead

 

[Kaylee34]

In a word, yes. 10’ is small now but pecans grow to be very large trees. That close to the pool deck you’ll start having damage at some point. Bigger tree also = bigger mess = more problems.

If you really like the tree consider moving it elsewhere in the yard while it’s still of a size to do so.

 

[Kaylee34]

Also, not sure what kind of tree that other very large one is but the ivy and other vines climbing it should be kept thinned out or cut back. It will eventually kill the tree.

 

[DDillon]

Thanks for the advice and perspective, y'all. Seems like a pretty clear consensus. I'm going to take down the pecan tree tomorrow. We used to have 5-6 Mexican fan palms lining the pool (that's also the large tree pictured in the background) but lost three of the smaller ones in the 2021 freeze, as well as some other palm variants. They were great because they produced a lot of shade without much debris. Might try planting a few of those again and hope the Texas weather behaves. Until then, we'll stick to our umbrellas. Thanks again.