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Grass/ground cover suggestion for yard with huge Oak trees...
Posted on 11/23/20 at 1:09 pm
Posted on 11/23/20 at 1:09 pm
What if anything can be done to get a yard to enjoy with a canopy of Oaks. Tired of all the dust. I live in Mandeville if that matters.
Posted on 11/23/20 at 1:26 pm to MizunoDude
first thing would be to cut the tree limbs as high above the ground as possible. If you can cut them up so that nothing hangs below 10', great. if you can get full clearance higher than that go for it.
second you need to make sure you have quite a bit of topsoil above the roots. Ideally you want 8"+ between top of roots and top of soil.
After that, try and find the most shade tolerant grass type for your region. If you are way down south you have a few options.
second you need to make sure you have quite a bit of topsoil above the roots. Ideally you want 8"+ between top of roots and top of soil.
After that, try and find the most shade tolerant grass type for your region. If you are way down south you have a few options.
Posted on 11/23/20 at 1:31 pm to notsince98
Zoysia might be the first place to look for a warm season shade tolerant grass.
Posted on 11/23/20 at 1:42 pm to notsince98
I had a Zoysia lawn in Nashville but didn't think it would be a go here in Southern Louisiana.
Posted on 11/23/20 at 1:55 pm to MizunoDude
quote:
I had a Zoysia lawn in Nashville but didn't think it would be a go here in Southern Louisiana.
Why not? It is a warm season grass that has cultivars that do fine with shade.
Posted on 11/23/20 at 2:40 pm to MizunoDude
My old yard with dense pecans has dwarf mondograss. It's super dark green and can be mowed like grass (but much less frequently).
Posted on 11/23/20 at 6:34 pm to MizunoDude
Minima jasmine or (dwarf) mondo for ground cover.
Possibly BitterBlue St Augustine if you have some sunlight and can thin up the trees.
If the roots are up and out of the ground at the trunk, just make a bed of shade plants that will hide the roots.
No grass/sod is going to do well in heavy shade without extra attention & care.
Possibly BitterBlue St Augustine if you have some sunlight and can thin up the trees.
If the roots are up and out of the ground at the trunk, just make a bed of shade plants that will hide the roots.
No grass/sod is going to do well in heavy shade without extra attention & care.
Posted on 11/23/20 at 7:52 pm to notsince98
quote:
second you need to make sure you have quite a bit of topsoil above the roots. Ideally you want 8"+ between top of roots and top of soil.
Do this if you want to kill the oak trees... oak roots need to breathe.
Posted on 11/24/20 at 8:38 am to MizunoDude
I keep my limbs up and never put any kind of herbicide under there. I let grow what will grow and keep it mowed about 3”. It’s not a golf course but it’s better than dirt.
ETA and from the road, a blind man can’t tell what’s growing. It just looks green and manicured.
ETA and from the road, a blind man can’t tell what’s growing. It just looks green and manicured.
This post was edited on 11/24/20 at 8:39 am
Posted on 11/24/20 at 8:56 am to Stexas
quote:
Do this if you want to kill the oak trees... oak roots need to breathe.
That is only true for specific types of oaks generally found in the western areas of the country. The majority of oaks will be fine.
But it is a requirement (4" bare minimum) if the goal is to grow grass under the canopy. If not, then no grass which was the original question.
This post was edited on 11/24/20 at 8:57 am
Posted on 11/24/20 at 10:52 am to MizunoDude
get the canopy of the oak lifted and thinned out to allow more sunlight.
you won't get grass all the way up to the roots. Leave about an 8' radius from the trunk as mulch area and then if sunlight permits, plant some palisade zoysia. if its heavy shade, super blue liriope until you have enough light for sod
you won't get grass all the way up to the roots. Leave about an 8' radius from the trunk as mulch area and then if sunlight permits, plant some palisade zoysia. if its heavy shade, super blue liriope until you have enough light for sod
Posted on 11/24/20 at 12:23 pm to notsince98
I put a couple inches of mulch (left over from some stump grinding activities) around a 15” red oak in my yard last year. It may have killed it. I raked it away when it was clear that the tree was in trouble. It’s not looking great but may survive.
This post was edited on 11/24/20 at 12:33 pm
Posted on 11/24/20 at 12:30 pm to turkish
quote:
I put a couple inches of mulch from some ground stumps around a 15” red oak in my yard last year. It may have killed it. I raked it away when it was clear that the tree was in trouble. It’s not looking great but may survive.
Was the mulch up to the tree? Oddly when you put mulch around an oak that tends to be a good thing but you cannot put it up to the tree itself The mulch needs to stop before it touches the collar/bark of the oak.
Posted on 11/24/20 at 12:37 pm to notsince98
It was left about 6 inches from contacting the trunk. And this was a thin layer. I was shocked by the response. No roots are on top of the ground.
Posted on 11/24/20 at 12:52 pm to turkish
quote:
It was left about 6 inches from contacting the trunk. And this was a thin layer. I was shocked by the response. No roots are on top of the ground.
Sounds like something toxic or diseased might have been in the mulch then.
Posted on 11/24/20 at 1:07 pm to notsince98
quote:bad advice bro.
That is only true for specific types of oaks generally found in the western areas of the country. The majority of oaks will be fine.
Posted on 11/24/20 at 1:37 pm to notsince98
Maybe. Like I said, I just raked it out away from the tree to a layer that isn’t even solid anymore. All mulch is still under the crown, but the tree has leafed back out.
ETA: I put this same mulch around young sapling redbuds in tree tubes and they’re doing fantastic.
ETA: I put this same mulch around young sapling redbuds in tree tubes and they’re doing fantastic.
This post was edited on 11/24/20 at 1:39 pm
Posted on 11/24/20 at 1:47 pm to White Bear
quote:
bad advice bro.
bad advice? I know it works. I have done it multiple times.
If you don't believe me then here is a nice article including links to university studies specifically about oaks: LINK
Posted on 11/24/20 at 4:18 pm to MizunoDude
Large shade beds is the best option. More expensive upfront, but will be cheaper in the long run since there is no turfgrass that grows well in dense shade without needing to reseed/resod yearly, no matter how shade-tolerant the variety is.
Posted on 11/24/20 at 4:32 pm to notsince98
i had heard NEVER to cover an existing oaks roots, especially live oaks
but
if it was a new planting, it could work
also, never drive trucks or machinery over live oak roots
but
if it was a new planting, it could work
also, never drive trucks or machinery over live oak roots
This post was edited on 11/25/20 at 8:37 am
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