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Old 30-05-2007, 05:32 AM posted to austin.gardening
Dave Dave is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: May 2007
Posts: 346
Default Question about new sod under trees (attn Arborists!)

"Scott Harper" wrote in message
erio.net...
Sorry about the double posting, just wanted to make sure the title caught
our
local arborists' attention, since this is as much a question about trees
as it
is sod...

I'm thinking about putting in some sod. I know "technically" the best way
to
do it is to get rid of all the other grass/weeds that is already there,
lightly till (or rake) up the soil, and put the sod down on that.

I know there are varying opinions on how to get rid of the existing
vegetation, but I would be inclined to spray it with round up to kill it
off
first, then rake it up. I am NOT too crazy about trying to pull it all up
while it is still alive. And tilling really isn't a great option because
of
the shallow soil depth on top of a rocky base.

The area under consideration happens to be under some live oaks. Part of
what

is growing there is literally hundreds of little oak saplings sprouting up
under and around the trees. My concern is that if I were to spray all of
them

with round up, that would make its way into the trees' root systems and
harm
them as well -- which I definitely don't want to do.

Would spraying round up under those trees harm them?

Would I have a chance in hades of the sod taking if I laid it on top of
the
existing vegetation?


scott


Rocky soil, live oaks. TX hill country.

Local cedar (juniper ashe) trees controls growth there. That goes for
normally grown grasses as well.

Should not be too much to prep under a live oak tree. Mountain out of
molehill.
Dave