Raised beds around trees?
suekend
15 years ago
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esther_opal
15 years agothisismelissa
15 years agoRelated Discussions
Carpet as a weed supressor
Comments (6)I am not keen on it. My family used it in the past, and an adjacent tenant of ours uses it on my/his property. Eventually, you wind up with scraps of crud and yarns and broken rubber and elasticy stuff all over the place. Also it tends to be unnatural colors, and that color just doesn't fade. So you wind up with blue and red things in an otherwise green place. Maybe under a deck or something is great, but I have 20 and 30 year old carpet hunks on my property and it gets really hard to clean up. Of course I have so much trouble with quack grass, it is tempting to put it around my raised beds. It does work well at suppressing weeds, I have to admit that. Marcia...See MoreTo plant around trees or not to plant around trees; that is the ?
Comments (8)I'm not sure where you read that planting under a tree would kill it - it is simply not true! Trees growing in the natural environment routinely have other, smaller plants growing under them. Even in heavy forests, there is always undergrowth! As Ken stated, raising the soil level under existing trees can be harmful but in virtually all cases, underplanting them at the same soil level is not an issue. Some trees dislike much disruption in their root zone (Japanese maples for example) so it is best to plant things that will grow happily without the need for division or replanting. And other trees have such aggressive root systems that it is a challenge to get things to thrive within the spread of their canopy or even further. But most trees are very happy with accompanying shrubs or perennials and groundcovers in close proximity. In a small urban or suburban lot, I dislike trees planted plunk in the middle of the lawn. They have no sense of place and look like after thoughts. Plus lawn up to the base of a tree can be a hindrance to successful establishment, not to mention the potential for string trimmer or mower disasters. A good sized bed with complimentary underplantings give trees context and anchor them into the landscape....See MoreBirch Trees and Lasaga Beds
Comments (3)do not increase the depth by 6 inches .. around the trunk of the tree ... leave a wide depression at the tree.. at the level it is now planted at.. presuming it was planted at the proper depth ... mulch with hardwood chips... just an inch or two ... in my experience ... birch are very shallow rooted ... barely under the surface ... if you add any kind of GOOD soil.. the birch will grow into it ... and sooner or later .. you will have a hard time growing anything under them other than the most vigorous annuals ... if it were me ... i would put a nice 3 to 4 foot ring of hardwood mulch around the birches.. and put the "richest dirt known to mankind" in another bed where it will be of use to the flowers ... trees just don't need that good a soil ... and don't need fertilizer ... and other than a little water in drought.. an established tree can take care of itself ... regardless .. knock yourself out.. and do what makes you happy .... but don't bury the tree 6 inches too deep ... good luck ken...See MoreShade Tolerant Edibles
Comments (19)How about this one? I have no clue. Found it searching for something else, but it has my attention! 2121 Oregon GrapeMahonia aquifolium This is a very beautiful, edible, and useful evergreen shrub. Its upright stems and coarse leaves form an irregular mound up to 8' tall. As the bush matures, it sends out additional stems to form a clump up to 6' wide. The bluish green leaves are coarse and spiny and resemble holly. The compound leaves are radially arranged at the end of each stem. Bright yellow flowers appear atop the stem in spring. Location: Oregon grape holly is native from the northwestern United States on into Canada. It is widely grown as an ornamental. Culture: Light: Needs shady conditions, hot direct sun will burn leaves. Moisture: Likes moist soil high in organic material, but adaptable. Hardiness: USDA Zones 5-9. Propagation: Clumps can be divided. Usage: This plant thrives in shady areas where selection of plants is limited. Can be used in entry ways and under roof eaves if adequate moisture is maintained. I like to use mahonias under a canopy of pine along with azaleas and camellias. Can also be used as an outdoor container plant. Features: The bright yellow flowers are beautiful against the lustrous blue green leaves. The bright blue berries on dark red stems are even more striking. Suzi Here is a link that might be useful: Site to buy seeds for this one!...See MoreJanice
15 years agoesther_opal
15 years agosuekend
15 years agoken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
15 years agoinlimbo
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15 years agoesther_opal
15 years agosuekend
15 years agoesther_opal
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7 years agotsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agojolj
7 years agotsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoKarin Black Cat
7 years agojosephines167 z5 ON Canada
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoDianne(Zone 3b)
7 years ago
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