DIY Network

How to Plant Under and Around a Tree Learn the best way to plant under and around a tree. From "Home Made Easy" episode DHME-120

Fran Sorin, DIY's Gardening Made Easy Expert, joins host Stephanie Lydecker and demonstrates how the area under and around your tree doesn't have to be an ugly sight of patchy grass.

She will show how an often temperamental area can look lush and beautiful.

advertisement

	Fran shares tips on which plants work best under and around a tree.
	Figure A
	Figure B

Materials:

kneeling pad
trowel
20-30 perennial specimens
watering hose
mulch
newspaper
organic mulch

How to Plant Under and Around a Tree

1. There are a couple of reasons why the area around the tree trunk is temperamental. Usually it stems from a lack of water and often not enough nutrients. The soil may be too dry or too wet. It is difficult for plants to survive under trees that have deep thick roots and umbrella like habits. Not only does sunlight not get in, but rainfall is deflected making it almost impossible for the plants to survive.

2. The best way to fix the unsightly area is to plant perennials that work in dry shade. Purchase very small plants for this area because the smaller the plant, the smaller the hole and the less disturbance to the roots of the tree. You will even have an easier time of planting.

3. When planting in this area you need to keep in mind that you don't want to disturb large roots of the tree and you need to be careful how much soil you add to the area. At the most you can add 2" of soil. You only need to disturb the soil where you are planting. If there is grass around the tree, it needs to be removed. To remove grass, lay down five to six layers of wet newspaper and then put organic mulch on top to fit. It takes two to three months for the grass to be killed off this way.

4. To plant perennials correctly, begin planting one foot from the trunk of the tree and then keep on working out from that point. Avoid roots. If you happen to dig into a root of medium size, move your hole. Using your trowel, dig small holes. Cover with solid, but don't add more than 2" of soil.

5. Shade loving perennials that are recommended:
   • Tiarella or Foam Flower (figure A)
     
   • Cimicifuga racemosawith or black snackroot.
     
   • Athyrium niponicum or Japanese painted fern--there are many ferns that do well.
     
   • Vinca.
     
   • Viola.
     
   • Lamium.
     
   • Hosta.
     
   • Pulmonaria (lungwort)
     
   • Phlox stolonifera and divaricata.

6. You should water consistently if there is not enough rainfall. This means a good deep soaking for about 45 minutes two to three times a week. An oscillating sprinkler (figure B) is good for this. Remember, you are dealing with dry shade and the tree and the plants are competing for water. It is rare that an area like this gets over-watered. Do not fertilize for the first year. You should also add 2-3" of mulch wood or bark chips--they are fine to conserve moisture and suppress weeks.

RESOURCES :

Gardening Tools
Fiskars
Website: www.fiskars.com

Pruners
Smith and Hawken
Website: www.smithandhawken.com

Flowers
Proven Winners
Website: www.provenwinners.com

Extra Gardening Supplies
Website: www.lowes.com

GUESTS :

Fran Sorin
Author, Digging Deep: Unearthing Your Creative Roots Through Gardening
0446531669
April, 2004
Warner Books
Website: www.fransorin.com