I have three young casuarinas near my fence line. I'm thinking of adding
more garden beds along there, but that would entail piling about 40cm
more soil on top of the casuarina roots to build up the beds. My husband
reckons this will kill them. Since the trees are now about fifteen feet
tall and doing well, I'd rather not do that. But I want my garden beds too!

Any ideas? Solutions? Comments?

--
Trish Brown {|:-}

Newcastle, NSW, Australia

Trish Brown wrote:
I have three young casuarinas near my fence line. I'm thinking of
adding more garden beds along there, but that would entail piling
about 40cm more soil on top of the casuarina roots to build up the beds.
My
husband reckons this will kill them. Since the trees are now about
fifteen feet tall and doing well, I'd rather not do that. But I want
my garden beds too!
Any ideas? Solutions? Comments?

I have seen this kill trees. I cannot say if it kills all trees or if
casuarinas are particularly susceptible or not.

David

On Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:43:46 +1100, Trish Brown wrote:

I have three young casuarinas near my fence line. I'm thinking of adding
more garden beds along there, but that would entail piling about 40cm
more soil on top of the casuarina roots to build up the beds. My husband
reckons this will kill them. Since the trees are now about fifteen feet
tall and doing well, I'd rather not do that. But I want my garden beds
too!

Any ideas? Solutions? Comments?

IME it will not affect casuarinas in the slightest. They will quite
happily suck up everything you throw on the garden.

terryc wrote:
On Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:43:46 +1100, Trish Brown wrote:

I have three young casuarinas near my fence line. I'm thinking of adding
more garden beds along there, but that would entail piling about 40cm
more soil on top of the casuarina roots to build up the beds. My husband
reckons this will kill them. Since the trees are now about fifteen feet
tall and doing well, I'd rather not do that. But I want my garden beds
too!

Any ideas? Solutions? Comments?

IME it will not affect casuarinas in the slightest. They will quite
happily suck up everything you throw on the garden.


I kinda hoped that would be the case, being that casuarinas are riverine
trees and suffer inundantion and changing soil depths all the time. I
hope there's someone out there who's actually done something like this?
It'd feel a lot better knowing someone had been successful with it, y'know?

--
Trish Brown {|:-}

Newcastle, NSW, Australia

On Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:03:53 +1100, Trish Brown wrote:


I kinda hoped that would be the case, being that casuarinas are riverine
trees and suffer inundantion and changing soil depths all the time. I
hope there's someone out there who's actually done something like this?
It'd feel a lot better knowing someone had been successful with it,
y'know?

Well, we had one in the back garden that a bit taller and it hasn't
suffered one little bit from the 1' of raised vege garden bed running
across half its root zone. Those roots grew just nicely. Now all I need
is a good recipe for them {:-).

g'day trish,

yes this can kill trees, have seen it happen on many occassions.

would recommend against doing it for that reason and that if it
doesn't kill the trees then the roots will invade the garden beds.
400mm is a lot of fill to put on top of the tree roots. at best lay
some compost/mulch to about 100mm to 200mm and plant some understory
type plants could be natives or annuals.


On Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:43:46 +1100, Trish Brown
wrote:

snipped
With peace and brightest of blessings,

len & bev

--
"Be Content With What You Have And
May You Find Serenity and Tranquillity In
A World That You May Not Understand."

http://www.lensgarden.com.au/

"Trish Brown" wrote in message
...
I have three young casuarinas near my fence line. I'm thinking of adding
more garden beds along there, but that would entail piling about 40cm more
soil on top of the casuarina roots to build up the beds. My husband reckons
this will kill them. Since the trees are now about fifteen feet tall and
doing well, I'd rather not do that. But I want my garden beds too!

Any ideas? Solutions? Comments?

my first thought is that if they're the kind of casuarina that grow
incredibly tall, always look awful, drop seeds everywhere for people to skid
on & break their necks, drop needles constantly & defend their root zone,
what on earth do you want 3 of them in your yard for, anyway? g

my second thought is that the trees are far more likely to ruin the beds
than the beds are to ruin the casuarinas. unless (or indeed, even if) the
entire root zone is buried, i imagine it's not a problem for the vast
majority of established trees. if most of the root zone would be covered,
think twice. to keep roots out of raised beds you probably want a proper
barrier at ground level.

mainly, i wouldn't do it because i can't see it working, with one thing &
another - if you can't choose between the trees & the beds, nature will
probably do it for you. although, you've probably gathered that i don't
think casuarinas are a good idea for backyard trees anyway. (i'd chop them
down now while they're still small ;-)

having said all that, i read recently (and i can't remember where!) that
longstem planting is surprisingly effective for more trees than you would
think, & i imagine being water-loving river trees that casuarinas would
adapt perfectly well to finding themselves buried more deeply than usual -
they would most likely just begin sending roots out from higher up. an
example of a tree that will never prosper buried deeper, are those with
grafts. a hardy native tree should be ok. but as i said, i'm not convinced
the beds would prosper. they might be ok, though. if the beds are for a few
sturdy perennials, perhaps no problem. if they're for veg, i'd say do it
elsewhere & give the veg a better chance.
kylie

"0tterbot" wrote in message
...
"Trish Brown" wrote in message
...
I have three young casuarinas near my fence line. I'm thinking of adding
more garden beds along there, but that would entail piling about 40cm more
soil on top of the casuarina roots to build up the beds. My husband
reckons this will kill them. Since the trees are now about fifteen feet
tall and doing well, I'd rather not do that. But I want my garden beds
too!

Any ideas? Solutions? Comments?

my first thought is that if they're the kind of casuarina that grow
incredibly tall, always look awful, drop seeds everywhere for people to
skid on & break their necks, drop needles constantly & defend their root
zone, what on earth do you want 3 of them in your yard for, anyway? g

my second thought is that the trees are far more likely to ruin the beds
than the beds are to ruin the casuarinas. unless (or indeed, even if) the
entire root zone is buried, i imagine it's not a problem for the vast
majority of established trees. if most of the root zone would be covered,
think twice. to keep roots out of raised beds you probably want a proper
barrier at ground level.

mainly, i wouldn't do it because i can't see it working, with one thing &
another - if you can't choose between the trees & the beds, nature will
probably do it for you. although, you've probably gathered that i don't
think casuarinas are a good idea for backyard trees anyway. (i'd chop them
down now while they're still small ;-)

having said all that, i read recently (and i can't remember where!) that
longstem planting is surprisingly effective for more trees than you would
think, & i imagine being water-loving river trees that casuarinas would
adapt perfectly well to finding themselves buried more deeply than usual -
they would most likely just begin sending roots out from higher up. an
example of a tree that will never prosper buried deeper, are those with
grafts. a hardy native tree should be ok. but as i said, i'm not convinced
the beds would prosper. they might be ok, though. if the beds are for a
few sturdy perennials, perhaps no problem. if they're for veg, i'd say do
it elsewhere & give the veg a better chance.
kylie
Why not gamble and find out.
My gut feling is that it wouldn't hurt them one little bit, as the roots
would compensate by growing into the garden beds.
Despite what is said, plants aren't suicidal, and can adept.

Jonno wrote:

"0tterbot" wrote in message
...
"Trish Brown" wrote in message
...
I have three young casuarinas near my fence line. I'm thinking of
adding more garden beds along there, but that would entail piling
about 40cm more soil on top of the casuarina roots to build up the
beds. My husband reckons this will kill them. Since the trees are now
about fifteen feet tall and doing well, I'd rather not do that. But I
want my garden beds too!

Any ideas? Solutions? Comments?

my first thought is that if they're the kind of casuarina that grow
incredibly tall, always look awful, drop seeds everywhere for people
to skid on & break their necks, drop needles constantly & defend their
root zone, what on earth do you want 3 of them in your yard for,
anyway? g

my second thought is that the trees are far more likely to ruin the
beds than the beds are to ruin the casuarinas. unless (or indeed, even
if) the entire root zone is buried, i imagine it's not a problem for
the vast majority of established trees. if most of the root zone would
be covered, think twice. to keep roots out of raised beds you probably
want a proper barrier at ground level.

mainly, i wouldn't do it because i can't see it working, with one
thing & another - if you can't choose between the trees & the beds,
nature will probably do it for you. although, you've probably gathered
that i don't think casuarinas are a good idea for backyard trees
anyway. (i'd chop them down now while they're still small ;-)

having said all that, i read recently (and i can't remember where!)
that longstem planting is surprisingly effective for more trees than
you would think, & i imagine being water-loving river trees that
casuarinas would adapt perfectly well to finding themselves buried
more deeply than usual - they would most likely just begin sending
roots out from higher up. an example of a tree that will never prosper
buried deeper, are those with grafts. a hardy native tree should be
ok. but as i said, i'm not convinced the beds would prosper. they
might be ok, though. if the beds are for a few sturdy perennials,
perhaps no problem. if they're for veg, i'd say do it elsewhere & give
the veg a better chance.
kylie
Why not gamble and find out.
My gut feling is that it wouldn't hurt them one little bit, as the roots
would compensate by growing into the garden beds.
Despite what is said, plants aren't suicidal, and can adept.

Thanks for the intelligent discussion! I'm going to take the gamble and
see what happens. I only wanted to grow a few annuals in the beds, just
for flowers indoors. Oh, and some dear old geraniums against the ugly fence.

Kylie, I hear what you say about not liking casuarinas, but I do! The
sound the wind makes as it blows through their needles is so relaxing.
The sound made by cockies as they gobble up the nuts isn't quite so
relaxing, but I like it anyway. And if they drop their needles, oh well.
Thing is, my husband (*not* a gardener) fell in love with these trees
and bought the three on special. They're 'his' contribution to the
garden, so - y'know - I hope they survive. I'll let you know whichever
way. All in the course of furthering the collective knowledge, eh? ;-D

--
Trish Brown {|:-}

Newcastle, NSW, Australia

On Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:03:21 +0000, 0tterbot wrote:


my first thought is that if they're the kind of casuarina that grow
incredibly tall, always look awful, drop seeds everywhere for people to
skid on & break their necks, drop needles constantly & defend their root
zone, what on earth do you want 3 of them in your yard for, anyway? g

The sound of the breezes through them is just wonderful.

"0tterbot" wrote in message

having said all that, i read recently (and i can't remember where!) that
longstem planting is surprisingly effective for more trees than you would
think,

It was certainly featured on one of the Gardening Australia programs.
amazing really as it goes against the grain after all those years of being
told to plant at the level the plant was in the pot.

"Trish Brown" wrote in message

Kylie, I hear what you say about not liking casuarinas, but I do! The
sound the wind makes as it blows through their needles is so relaxing.

:-)) I too love that sound, but then I also agree with Otterbot about the
looks of casuarinas - not a favourite in terms of good looks TMWOT. But,
having said that, I also hate the look of Pinus radiata but they certainly
do have their uses.

"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote in message
. au...
"0tterbot" wrote in message

having said all that, i read recently (and i can't remember where!) that
longstem planting is surprisingly effective for more trees than you would
think,

It was certainly featured on one of the Gardening Australia programs.
amazing really as it goes against the grain after all those years of being
told to plant at the level the plant was in the pot.

They also said it may not work for some trees.
Casuarinas sound pretty tough trees so I wouldn't worry...

See here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casuarina

"Jonno" wrote in message
...

"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote in message
. au...
"0tterbot" wrote in message

having said all that, i read recently (and i can't remember where!) that
longstem planting is surprisingly effective for more trees than you
would think,

It was certainly featured on one of the Gardening Australia programs.
amazing really as it goes against the grain after all those years of
being told to plant at the level the plant was in the pot.

They also said it may not work for some trees.
Casuarinas sound pretty tough trees so I wouldn't worry...

See here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casuarina

This part would worry me though if you built a garden bed under or near it
The plants are strongly suspected of having allelopathic properties, as
evidenced by the near absence of understory once a mat of litter
develops around the plants.
Allelopathy is a biological phenomenon that is characteristic of some
plants, algae, bacteria, coral and fungi by which they produce certain
biochemicals that influence the growth and development of other
organisms. The biochemicals, called allelochemicals can have a beneficial
or detrimental effect on neighbouring organisms.

On Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:54:03 +0000, Jonno wrote:


This part would worry me though if you built a garden bed under or near
it
The plants are strongly suspected of having allelopathic properties,
as evidenced by the near absence of understory once a mat of litter
develops around the plants.

Naah, no probs, the chief gardnere produced a crop of spuds under ours
this year. The major problem is you are watering the tree as well as the
garden.