What to plant under a large Spruce?
dagnee
19 years ago
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trudy_gw
19 years agodagnee
19 years agoRelated Discussions
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Comments (13)Hey Oxmyx they all look great! Personally, from what I've read, there's no reason to believe you've bonsai'd your plants, especially having a greenhouse type of environment that you've provided for them. And I know you would not have 'continually' used any of those bonsai technics, nor have you had them in a stifling environment. Those big leaves on yours don't speak of dwarfism at all. They speak of big healthy branches that can support a flower the size that a brug puts out. You should see this severely bonsai'd frosty brug cuttings of mine... there is nothing on it itself except for itty bitty branches and leaves, but below it's soil level it allowed another shoot to grow. So, I have a normal healthy growing 16" plant growing next to a 5"high, 1/2" thick stub that's going to be cut off and thrown out, (as soon as I get a good picture of it) that's how hardened it's become. I took it off the brug plant last summer when it showed stunting then. I have hope for it's off-spring which I didn't think I'd even get. You did excellently with yours Barry. I'm truly impressed and I appreciate your efforts in communicating what you'be been doing with your brugs. I may still end up removing all my winter grown branches if I see proof that the new spring growth is growing way faster and/or thicker then the winter grown branches. But until then all branches and leaves stay on. Have you considered the spacing you'll need for the canopy of each brug? I'm estimating here, but for an example, if on average, 60 trees x minimum 4 square foot canopy on each first year tree and likely bigger from how well yours are growing and depending on the kind of brug maybe bigger and some smaller. It would help you to find out how tall and wide each one grows as a maximum so you can arrange them in an appropriate pattern. Unless of coarse, you've got lots of space which will save you lots of thinking. Yours are going to do really well they're first year. I'm excited for you. Happy Gardening - Sandy...See MoreWhat to plant under a large live oak?
Comments (2)Try azaleas again. Bring in some high quality potting soil, several bags for each bush, lots of mulch, and then water them every week, perhaps twice a week, all year long. They may need some extra water the next summer too. I see bridal wreath under a neighbors oaks. Hostas too. The key here with a two hundred year old tree will be bringing in that potting soil. There is no danger of "smothering" the roots of a tree that size, and you dont want to damage the trees roots with your digging. Spend some money on the best potting soil available and plants will grow. Perhaps your oak has a few limbs that are in need of thinning. Most trees do. This will also help anything you plant below. Dogwoods and redbuds make a great understory tree combination There is also now a whitebud form of redbud....See MoreSuggestions for planting under large trees?
Comments (7)We've used Turk's cap (malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondi) under the dense shade of a fruitless mulberry with good results. They will grow to ~4ft in shade if left alone, but can be kept trimmed to about 2ft which may fit your space. Cedar sage (salvia roemeriana) is a smaller option. It grows naturally under cedar (juniper) trees. We have some growing under a dwarf peach. We've used columbine (aquilegia canadensis, a. chrysantha) and pigeon berry (rivina humilis) under the more dappled shade of crepe myrtles. Non-natives we've used under trees include pink oxalis (probably oxalis crassipes) and bearded iris, though iris does not bloom reliably in heavy shade....See MoreLooking for a groundcover option under three large spruce trees
Comments (2)First, groundcovers won't eliminate weeds - they only retard their development. And some are much better at it than others. For underplanting large conifers, pachysandra is a good choice - it is quite tolerant of dry shade, which is the usual planting condition in this situation. But go with Pachysandra terminalis rather than the native species (Pachysandra procumbens). First, it is fully evergreen and it spreads faster than Allegheny pachy. Both factors will be better for weed control. Are the needles an applied mulch or are they shed needles from the spruce (in which case they'd be spruce needles :-)) ? If a mulch, just rake them aside to plant, then replace around the new groundcovers. No particular tricks to planting and no need for added soil or mulch - the conifer needles serve that purpose admirably. The ground beneath the trees will be very rooty and hard to dig so start with small plants. Plant in a zig-zag pattern rather than in straight rows 12-16" on center (use the closer spacing if you want faster coverage). And water well. Even plants suited to dry shade will need extra water until they get properly established....See Moremichelle_zone4
19 years agoMaude_IA
19 years agodagnee
19 years agosanfan
19 years agodagnee
19 years agokosterbelle
7 years agoDavid Weum
5 years ago
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