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Re: [PRIMROSES] Planting under trees was: New Member Bio

Hi Valerie,

Most of my gardens are dominated by mature trees of several species, so
there are few spots where inserting a garden fork doesn't encounter a mat
of roots!

I've found that using a fork to try to break up any compaction by inserting
it and wiggling it if you can't actually dig is a good idea.  Then, I add
from 6 to 8 inches of a good organic mix and plant into it.  The tree roots
will work up into the mix by the end of the first season (they are
delighted for you to provide them with goodies), but the plants I want will
have had a chance to establish before the tree roots invade.

You don't want to add soil or mulch right up around an existing tree trunk
-- sort of feather the mix out so it is almost not there as you get to the
trunk.  If you mound any kind of moisture holding material (including
leaves) against a tree trunk, you invite assorted rots and fungi to take
hold and risk losing the tree.

I have found all trees handle this quite well -- and in the 20 + years I've
been following this regime, have not lost any trees as a result.  If you
add heavy soil and/or compact the soil around a tree -- all the way to and
beyond its drip line -- you will kill the tree.  If you need to add
substantial fill around a tree, you need to add as much as a foot (or more)
of min 3/4" gravel, topped by around 6" of soil to ensure drainage and air
supply to the roots.

I'd say your basic problem will be getting water to this area.  Beds and
borders under trees are at a disadvantage because the tree roots will take
most of the available moisture, leaving the smaller shrubs and perennials
in a virtual Sahara.  It is essential to be able to provide additional
water for most of the shade loving perennials, particularly in your
climate.

I spend dry summers wrestling with and cursing 2 sets of hoses, each 200
feet long.  Horrible,  heavy, nasty minded creatures bent on destroying
every plant they can....but they get to the ends of my gardens.   There are
shade tolerant plants that also tolerate dry shade once established (all
will need some water to get established), particularly if your underlying
soil is clay based (retentive) -- hostas, sadly, aren't among them -- they
will try to hang in there but will be sad puppies.  But, if it is
impossible to provide supplemental water, it will still be possible for you
to plant under these trees.   Some plants that come immediately to mind
are:

Brunnera
Pulmonaria (subject to a bit of mildew when cool and dry)
Begonia grandis (who should pull through your winters)
Lamiastrum galeobdolon (very rampant)
Hedera helix (also pretty rampant, but the small and variegated leafed ones
are pretty nifty IMO)
Euphorbia: amygdaloides var. robbiae and purpureum (one of my favorites)
Dicentra cucullaria and spectabilis do surprisingly well in dry, rooty
conditions
Pachysandra terminalis (fairly rampant ground cover - evergreen)
Arisaema triphyllum
Phlox divaricata
Podophyllum peltatum

I'm sure there are more, just can't bring them to the front of my
mind....anybody add to this list??

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
http://www.suite101.com/frontpage/frontpage.cfm?topicID=222
Gardening Topic Index for Suite101:
http://www.suite101.com/userfiles/79/gardening.html


----------
> From: Valerie Lowery <lowery@TEAMZEON.COM>
> To: PRIMROSES@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
> Subject: [PRIMROSES] New Member Bio
> Date: Tuesday, December 30, 1997 7:31 AM
>
> Hello to all!
>
> I'm obviously new to this list, having heard about it from another list.
I
> am new to shade gardening and live in between zones 5 and 6 in Kentucky.
> Our winters can dip below 0 degrees and our summers can go above 100
> degrees with smothering humidity.  Most of my yard is in full sun, but I
> have a line of very old trees near the back of my property line that
> provides dappled shade and allows only early morning sun and about two
> hours of afternoon sun.  This is a pretty substantial area that I would
> like to try to cultivate.   I want to take on the task of planting
> something under those old trees.  They have huge roots and the soil is a
> hardpan clay that gets very little moisture as it is a good distance from
> my outside faucets and my longest hose will not reach the back of my yard
> (I can't afford an irrigation system yet!).  I'm scared of smothering the
> roots with mulch, but yet I would love to have something besides grass
and
> weeds.  And how in the world do you dig around those tree roots to amend
> the soil??  I'm very open to plant suggestions!!
>
> I'm a novice gardener, having helped my father when I was younger, but am
> now getting more and more experience as I am now older with my own child.
> I have several perennial beds in the sun that I'm pleased with.  My shade
> experience is limited to the ubiquitous hosta; I've killed many an
astilbe
> and fern due to the lack of moisture in my yard.  Seems most shade plants
> want a bog situation!
>
> Anyway, I'm very interested in this list and look forward to learning
from
> the years of experience from the more seasoned gardeners.  Thanks for
> allowing me to join.
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