Newt wrote:
PatK Wrote:

Hi all,

I have a very large maple tree that covers about half of my yard and
every summer the grass dies underneath it from lack of sun (and rain
I'm sure) Now it's just a dirt area. Is there anything I can plant
underneath of it that would grow without a lot of encouragement? I need
something pretty sturdy because I have a large dog that likes to run in
my yard several times a day, though she's not really destructive. I
thought about ivy but I was wondering if there's anything else?

Thanks,
Pat


Hi Pat,

Don't use ivy. It grows with thick stems and your dogs won't be able
to run through it without hurting themselves. It will also eventually
suck up all the moisture the tree needs and grow up into the tree,
causing additional stress on the tree, eventually causing an early
death if allowed to grow into the canopy.

I would suggest that you put down a 2" to 3" layer of shredded hardwood
mulch. You could plant something like liriope in a few areas where the
dogs don't run. They are tough clump forming plants that can take the
drier and shady conditions. Each spring you will need to cut the tops
off about 2" from the soil so they can renew themselves and look less
tattered. Plant in odd numbers of clumps so it looks more pleasing to
the eye or do a mass planting like in this picture where the great dane
is resting. It comes in an all green or variegated cultivars as well.
http://tinyurl.com/4dr5m

You might also consider dwarf mondo grass as it looks more like a
lawn.
http://tinyurl.com/665uo

Newt

I'm in zone 6, just barely. Just to the east of me is zone 5. The
liriope says it does well in zones 7-11, so I wonder if it would even
grow here?
Pat