Taking Back the Land, Part 2: The Battle Beneath the Surface
- nvilu7
- Apr 21
- 4 min read
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The Hydrangea Win (Before the Chaos)
A week after Phase One of Operation Garden wrapped (read how Operation Garden started here), my oakleaf hydrangeas arrived—big, healthy, three-year-old plants from a local nursery. I splurged on the larger size, and honestly? Worth every penny the moment they went in the ground.
They settled in immediately like they belonged there.
To give them the best possible start, I:
Used a slow-release fertilizer —great for acid-loving plants like hydrangeas
Set up a consistent watering routine
Crossed my fingers and hoped for the best
The First “Simple” Project
Next up: the front brick planter beds.
The plan was straightforward:
Remove dead plants
Clear out old soil
Let everything dry out while I figured out a replacement
Since the beds sit under the porch roof, I had the luxury of time.
I grabbed:
My existing hand trowel
I figured I’d be done in a couple of hours.
I was not.
Those Effing Trees
Within seconds of starting to dig, my shovel hit something solid.
I tried another spot. Same thing.
So I switched tactics—trowel, then hands, then careful brushing like I was on an archaeological dig.
And then I saw it.
Roots.
Not a few. Not manageable.
A dense, tangled mass of invasive tree roots completely overtaking the planter bed.
If you’re dealing with anything like this, don’t start without the right tools. This is where a good shovel and a sharp hatchet make all the difference--especially once you hit dense root mats like these.
Meet the Villain: Chinese Elm
After a quick (and increasingly horrified) Google session, I identified the culprit:
Chinese elm trees.
Here’s what you need to know:
They’re invasive
They don’t die when cut down
Their roots keep spreading and sending up new shoots
They form dense mats that choke out everything else
In short:
They are the undead of the tree world.
Emergency Supply Run
At this point, I pivoted from “gardening” to “combat.”
I picked up:
My trusty Root Slayer shovel
Heavy-duty gardening gloves
Because this was no longer light yard work—it was a full-on excavation.
Root Removal: Six Hours of War
Chinese elm roots are:
Shallow
Fibrous
Incredibly dense
Which means they create a near-solid mass underground.
For six hours, I:
Chopped
Pulled
Dug
Repeated
In some spots, the axe literally bounced off the roots.
That only made me more determined to win.
Eventually—inch by inch—I cleared out the planters.
Containment Strategy
Once cleared, I:
Applied root-killing treatment to exposed areas
Left the beds empty to dry
Started thinking about a long-term solution
Key realization:
Whatever I put back into those planters needs to resist root reinvasion.
Bigger Problem, Bigger Plan
Standing there with my tools, one thought hit hard:
If this is what’s in the planters… what’s under the rest of the yard?
Inventory check:
Multiple mature Chinese elms
Several dead-but-not-dead stumps
A mix of struggling, non-native trees
A backyard likely filled with the same root system
Translation:
My dream garden was sitting on top of a biological minefield.
Reality Check (and a Pause)
At this point, I made a strategic decision:
The yard was stable enough for now
The house renovation needed my full attention
The big landscaping overhaul could wait
Sometimes progress means knowing when to pause.
The Bigger Lesson
Before I walked away, I did one more thing:
I researched every tree on the property.
Result?
Not a single one was native.
That explained everything:
Poor health
Invasiveness
Lack of balance in the landscape
What’s Next: Phase Two
I added one major item to my list:
👉 Remove the problem trees and start over with a sustainable plan
That includes:
Removing invasive species
Grinding out stumps
Rebuilding with native or well-adapted plants
Because if the foundation (literally and figuratively) isn’t right, nothing else will be.
🛒 Shopping List
Removing tree roots from garden beds is arduous—but doable with the right equipment.
If you’re tackling roots, overgrown beds, or a garden reset, these are the exact tools I used (and would use again):
Tools That Actually Got Through the Roots
My trusty Root Slayer shovel —rugged enough to handle compacted, root-filled soil thanks to its serrated blade
Durable hand trowel —useful for removing soil and prying apart root clumps
Sharp hand axe / hatchet —critical for cutting through heavy or dense root systems
Protection + Cleanup
Heavy-duty, grippy gardening gloves —essential when you’re pulling roots that fight back
Large yard waste bags —for lugging your yard waste to the recycling bin
Plant Care
Slow-release fertilizer for shrubs —great for most shrubs (skip acid-loving plants like hydrangeas and Japanese maples)
Lightweight water hose —pair with a brass hose adapter
No-rust hose reel —super sturdy and easy to move
Root Management
Targeted root killer / herbicide —works quickly and effectively
Final Thought
I started the day expecting a little light digging.
I ended it uncovering the real problem.
And honestly? That’s how most home and garden projects go.
You don’t just fix what’s visible.
You deal with what’s underneath.
If you’re dealing with a yard full of roots or overgrown beds, start with the right tools—it will save you hours (and a lot of frustration).
➡️Up Next: How to Select a Tree, Part 1
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