Question
I planted the above tree by my garage about 3 ft.from the side. The garage is about 22 ft. long and I planted it in the middle 4 yrs.ago. It is about 12 ft.high now and continues to grow. I am concerned that it might be sending roots underneath the concrete floor of the garage and will do damage. Is that possible? Should we take it out of there? Thanks.

Answer
Willow roots are more fibrous and have not been known to be a problem with foundations and walkways. Their roots can be a major problem if planted near a septic line--they like water and if there is a leak they will enter the septic line and clog it. The main problem will be the branches rubbing the building. This tree has a spread of 6-10 feet meaning the branches will extend out 3-5 feet from the trunk at maturity. Limbs should be pruned back 1 foot from the building so you will need to prune the side of the tree closest to the garage.