"Ron in NY" wrote:

I have a giant weeping willow tree in my backyard
near my shed. One of the roots has grown under the
shed, and is starting to lift the shed structure.
Short of digging under and around the root and
cutting it with a chain saw, how can I stop this
1 root from continuing to grow ??? It's about 12"
in diameter.

I don't want to kill the tree, just this 1 root.

Let's start with 12" ain't no root! It's a trunk!

I'll lay you odds that the trunk came under because
there was moisture there.

You need to dig up the root and expect it to be
loaded with moisture. I dug up 24 feet of trunk
about 20 years ago during a drought and that
sucker was soaked with moisture.

Every night when I came home I pour a gallon or
more of water at the base of the tree. When the
county put in a new sewer line, they cut out at
least half of the root system and again I gave
water every day during the summer. About two
years, I was in North Carolina and drove passed
the house - and my wife said "that damn tree is
still alive."

Dick