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#1
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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 |
#2
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Quote:
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
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When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant. |
#3
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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 |
#4
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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 |
#5
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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 |
#6
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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 |
#7
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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 |
#8
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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, & 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 |
#9
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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 |
#10
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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 |
#11
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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, & 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 |
#12
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#14
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"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 |
#15
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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 |
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