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Posted: Jul/30/2006 1:22 AM PST
Acuba does well as does Vinca. |
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Posted: Aug/05/2006 11:59 PM PST
I am curious about your comment about bare ground in the shade area......"[I]None. Zero. Less than zero. Grass doesn't even grow.[/I] What causes the shade? Large trees with shallow roots such as maple? If the soil is root bound due to large trees growing in the area then you will have to do something about that first. No amount of planting will overcome soil that has little room for moisture penetration due to there being so many roots. |
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Posted: Aug/06/2006 12:12 AM PST
Quote: Originally posted by Whitmore1 I am curious about your comment about bare ground in the shade area......"[I]None. Zero. Less than zero. Grass doesn't even grow.[/I]What causes the shade? Large trees with shallow roots such as maple? If the soil is root bound due to large trees growing in the area then you will have to do something about that first. No amount of planting will overcome soil that has little room for moisture penetration due to there being so many roots. In my case, the 200 year old walnut tree leaves/branches shade my whole yard. In the spring, before the leaves come out, grass starts to grow, only to die off when the yard is fully shaded. |
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Posted: Aug/06/2006 12:17 AM PST
Quote: Originally posted by Whitmore1 I am curious about your comment about bare ground in the shade area......"[I]None. Zero. Less than zero. Grass doesn't even grow.[/I]What causes the shade? Large trees with shallow roots such as maple? If the soil is root bound due to large trees growing in the area then you will have to do something about that first. No amount of planting will overcome soil that has little room for moisture penetration due to there being so many roots. Actually, you are correct about the cause of the shade - maples and some sort of conifer/pine tree and some other types of tree I don't know the name of. I tried to dig out there just this morning to see if roots are a problem - and they are. I assumed that the reason the grass didn't grow was the lack of sunlight. So how can I fix the root problem? Can I fix the root problem? Will shade lovers grow in big pots and survive VT winters in big pots? |
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Posted: Aug/06/2006 12:18 AM PST
Quote: Originally posted by lovetheflowers In my case, the 200 year old walnut tree leaves/branches shade my whole yard. In the spring, before the leaves come out, grass starts to grow, only to die off when the yard is fully shaded.I don't even get the grass to start growing so I think Whitmore is right about the roots in my case. |
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Posted: Aug/06/2006 12:38 AM PST
Quote: Originally posted by lovetheflowers In my case, the 200 year old [B]walnut tree [/B]leaves/branches shade my whole yard. In the spring, before the leaves come out, grass starts to grow, only to die off when the yard is fully shaded.And therein lies a big part of the problem. Walnut trees, especially black walnut trees produce substances that are toxic to plants. It will be difficult for you to grow anything under this walnut tree. Here are some URLs that will help you understand the problem of black walnut trees and plants. http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1148.html http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/complan ts/msg0308520416495.html http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/nursery/430-021/430- 021.html http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/stateline/991028.h tml |
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Posted: Aug/06/2006 7:43 AM PST
Whit, My 200 yr. old walnut trees total 7 in my back yard. While the dropping nuts in the fall, and the worry of limbs crashing down during thunder storms is the downside, the yard is a beautiful, tranquil setting for my dinner parties. In fact, the walnut trees and the possibilities for this wooded wonderland was a major feature in us buying this home 23 years ago. About toxicity and difficulties growing anything under my walnut trees, we don't have a problem and grow those plants I mentioned above, and also shade loving climbing roses. I guess it's a matter of preference. Thank you for the websites, which I checked out with interest. Within 50 feet of the walnut plant line, my cherry tomatoes do fine, just getting some sun limited hours, as well as my lilacs, azaleas and pachysandra. One person's problem is another person's preference. |
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Posted: Aug/11/2006 5:40 AM PST
I have extensive shade gardens under/near maple, crabapple, Winter King hawthorn, and spruce trees. They do very well. I had hostas to divide and reclaimed two beds that are in dark shade and so far the hostas and their companion palace purple heuchera and hardy geranium are doing fine. In other beds I have yellow archangel (false lamium), celandine poppy, forget-me-nots, epemidium, hardy geranium, ferns, mayapple, jack-in-the-pulpit, bloodroot, wild ginger, bleeding hearts, ligularia, more hostas, various foliage heucheras, variegated soloman's seal and a few others. The ligularia is in full bloom now, which is nice to have this late in the season. |
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Posted: Aug/11/2006 12:44 PM PST
Quote: Originally posted by junco I have extensive shade gardens under/near maple, crabapple, Winter King hawthorn, and spruce trees. They do very well. I had hostas to divide and reclaimed two beds that are in dark shade and so far the hostas and their companion palace purple heuchera and hardy geranium are doing fine.In other beds I have yellow archangel (false lamium), celandine poppy, forget-me-nots, epemidium, hardy geranium, ferns, mayapple, jack-in-the-pulpit, bloodroot, wild ginger, bleeding hearts, ligularia, more hostas, various foliage heucheras, variegated soloman's seal and a few others. The ligularia is in full bloom now, which is nice to have this late in the season. Junco- Your shade gardens sound magnificient!! My problem (I think) is going to be alot of little roots in the soil making it really hard to dig. Do you have that problem? Do you think I could get around it by planting little plants so I don't need big holes, and then adding a layer of compost or loam? Thanks |
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Posted: Aug/11/2006 12:52 PM PST
Like I said, one person's problem is another person's wonderland. I love all this shade, and work around the walnut trees toxicity, falling nuts and debris. Attachments:  |
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