need something to plant under big maple tree
 

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://www.floridata.com/ref/l/liri_mus.cfm

You might also consider dwarf mondo grass as it looks more like a lawn.
http://www.floridata.com/ref/o/ophi_jap.cfm

Newt

Where are you (Tasmania, Boston, Seattle??), what kind of maple soil type,
climate, what has failed to grow, etc, etc,...need more info

--
Mike LaMana, MS, CTE
Consulting Forester & Arborist
Heartwood Consulting Services, LLC
Toms River, NJ
www.HeartwoodConsulting.net



"PatK" wrote in message
...
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

It is my understanding that Vinca grows very well in full shade, and it will
spread fairly quickly. It has nice greenery, with beautiful purplish blue
flowers on it in the Springtime:) I have some around several of my trees in
the back of my property:)

Angie







"PatK" wrote in message
...
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

Mike LaMana wrote:
Where are you (Tasmania, Boston, Seattle??), what kind of maple soil type,
climate, what has failed to grow, etc, etc,...need more info


Southwestern Ohio. I'm not sure what kind of maple it is. It doesn't
turn color in the fall, the leaves just fall off. But it's big, about 50
ft. tall and it's right on the fence line, so there's an area that boops
out into the lawn that grass just dies. (about a 15 ft. area) I've had
peonies planted along the fence line, but they've all died underneath
the tree, though they grow to either side of it. I try to plant grass
there every spring but so far it's not made it until fall.
Pat

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

junkyardcat wrote:
It is my understanding that Vinca grows very well in full shade, and it will
spread fairly quickly. It has nice greenery, with beautiful purplish blue
flowers on it in the Springtime:) I have some around several of my trees in
the back of my property:)

Angie


How is this different than the Vinca that you see for sale at the
nurseries that has the different colored flowers? That vinca grows up,
not out.

Pat

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


Wintergreen. Very cold-hardy for your zone 5/6. It makes a nice shade
groundcover, is evergreen, has small white flowers & big red berries,
leaves that emerge red. The berries & leaves can be harvested & easily
fermented for an amazingly flavorful drink. It's a rugged little plant &
you should be able to bamboo-rake fallen leaves right off of it in autumn,
&amp the dog oughtn't ruin it. About wintergreen:
http://www.paghat.com/wintergreen.html

You could also include Japanese anemones for something bigger that blooms
fabulously late in the year. It couldn't have a dog rolling on it, but if
she doesn't jump on bigger plants it'll only be at risk when first
emerging each spring.

-paghat the ratgirl
--
Get your Paghat the Ratgirl T-Shirt he
http://www.paghat.com/giftshop.html
"History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden
people maintaining a free civil government." -Thomas Jefferson

In article , PatK
wrote:

junkyardcat wrote:
It is my understanding that Vinca grows very well in full shade, and it will
spread fairly quickly. It has nice greenery, with beautiful purplish blue
flowers on it in the Springtime:) I have some around several of my trees in
the back of my property:)

Angie


How is this different than the Vinca that you see for sale at the
nurseries that has the different colored flowers? That vinca grows up,
not out.

Pat

Vinca minor is a very close-to-the-ground very little groundcover. Vinca
major is a bigger versioin; it will have YOUNG upright branches but these
soon become long ground vines. Both V. minor & major can be invasive if
they like where they're at.

There are at least three variegated forms of Vinca major on the market
this season, & I these should make a lovely under-a-maple vine (vincas
dislike much sunlight), & the variegated forms would be slightly less
aggressive but still very easy plants, a very nice option to ivy. The
flowers on V. major are usually just various shades of light to dark blue.
Vinca minor has white, blue, & burgundy flowering varieties, & among the
variegated forms of that 'Illumination' is the brightest.

Ivy may seem like a tedious predictable choice but if you contact an ivy
specialist you will have choices of ivys that are fantastic choices with
distinctive traits; the dwarf English ivies with variegation and/or curly
leaves are not invasive like big boring regular ivy.

-paghat the ratgirl
--
Get your Paghat the Ratgirl T-Shirt he
http://www.paghat.com/giftshop.html
"History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden
people maintaining a free civil government." -Thomas Jefferson

Vinca minor is a very close-to-the-ground very little groundcover. Vinca
major is a bigger versioin; it will have YOUNG upright branches but these
soon become long ground vines. Both V. minor & major can be invasive if
they like where they're at.

There are at least three variegated forms of Vinca major on the market
this season, & I these should make a lovely under-a-maple vine (vincas
dislike much sunlight), & the variegated forms would be slightly less
aggressive but still very easy plants, a very nice option to ivy. The
flowers on V. major are usually just various shades of light to dark blue.
Vinca minor has white, blue, & burgundy flowering varieties, & among the
variegated forms of that 'Illumination' is the brightest.

Ivy may seem like a tedious predictable choice but if you contact an ivy
specialist you will have choices of ivys that are fantastic choices with
distinctive traits; the dwarf English ivies with variegation and/or curly
leaves are not invasive like big boring regular ivy.

-paghat the ratgirl

I appreciate the suggestions. I've had vinca on the west side of my
house and it's done very well every year so maybe it would do well in
the back under the tree.

Pat

Wintergreen. Very cold-hardy for your zone 5/6. It makes a nice shade
groundcover, is evergreen, has small white flowers & big red berries,
leaves that emerge red. The berries & leaves can be harvested & easily
fermented for an amazingly flavorful drink. It's a rugged little plant &
you should be able to bamboo-rake fallen leaves right off of it in autumn,
&amp the dog oughtn't ruin it. About wintergreen:
http://www.paghat.com/wintergreen.html

You could also include Japanese anemones for something bigger that blooms
fabulously late in the year. It couldn't have a dog rolling on it, but if
she doesn't jump on bigger plants it'll only be at risk when first
emerging each spring.

-paghat the ratgirl

I don't know if I've ever seen wintergreen at the nursery, but I'll
definitely look for it. Looks very pretty!

Pat

In article ,
says...
Mike LaMana wrote:
Where are you (Tasmania, Boston, Seattle??), what kind of maple soil type,
climate, what has failed to grow, etc, etc,...need more info


Southwestern Ohio.

I've had
peonies planted along the fence line, but they've all died underneath
the tree, though they grow to either side of it. I try to plant grass
there every spring but so far it's not made it until fall.
Pat

Have you tried one of the lamiums? They're perennials, ground cover,
some with multi-colored foilage, small but numerous blooms, and they'll
grow most anywhere. They do fine under our trees in Zone 5.



--
Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description

lgb wrote:
In article ,
says...

Mike LaMana wrote:

Where are you (Tasmania, Boston, Seattle??), what kind of maple soil type,
climate, what has failed to grow, etc, etc,...need more info


Southwestern Ohio.


I've had
peonies planted along the fence line, but they've all died underneath
the tree, though they grow to either side of it. I try to plant grass
there every spring but so far it's not made it until fall.
Pat


Have you tried one of the lamiums? They're perennials, ground cover,
some with multi-colored foilage, small but numerous blooms, and they'll
grow most anywhere. They do fine under our trees in Zone 5.


No, in fact I've never heard of it. Does it have a common name?

Pat

"PatK" wrote in message
...
Have you tried one of the lamiums? They're perennials, ground cover,
some with multi-colored foilage, small but numerous blooms, and they'll
grow most anywhere. They do fine under our trees in Zone 5.


No, in fact I've never heard of it. Does it have a common name?

Pat

Deadnettle. It's a great little plant - very attractive and easy to grow.

Jacqueline

PatK wrote:
lgb wrote:
In article ,
says...

Mike LaMana wrote:

Where are you (Tasmania, Boston, Seattle??), what kind of maple
soil type, climate, what has failed to grow, etc, etc,...need
more info


Southwestern Ohio.


I've had
peonies planted along the fence line, but they've all died
underneath the tree, though they grow to either side of it. I try
to plant grass there every spring but so far it's not made it
until fall.
Pat


Have you tried one of the lamiums? They're perennials, ground
cover, some with multi-colored foilage, small but numerous blooms,
and they'll grow most anywhere. They do fine under our trees in
Zone 5.


No, in fact I've never heard of it. Does it have a common name?

Pat

It spreads like wild fire and is difficult to get rid of.

Google is your friend.

--

Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington
USDA Zone 8b
Sunset Zone 5