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Started By
Message
What to plant under Oak Tree?
Posted on 9/27/21 at 10:08 am
Posted on 9/27/21 at 10:08 am
I just moved into a house with a hugh oak tree in the front yard. It's almost all dirt and creates a massive dust storm when I mow. What can I plant for ground cover that will grow and create a nice green area? Also, when it rains I have alot of runoff of dirt. TIA
Posted on 9/27/21 at 10:21 am to Rehage7
Aspidistra or cast iron plant is commonly planted in a thick ring under trees and IMO is a very classic "LA" look.
I think it's really aesthetically versatile because it can be used alone or as a backdrop to shorter plants in front like hostas.
ETA: I have no idea about soil composition or drainage-- AT ALL. Just saying what I think would look pretty FYI.
I think it's really aesthetically versatile because it can be used alone or as a backdrop to shorter plants in front like hostas.
ETA: I have no idea about soil composition or drainage-- AT ALL. Just saying what I think would look pretty FYI.

This post was edited on 9/27/21 at 10:25 am
Posted on 9/27/21 at 10:23 am to Slagathor
Don't plant anything under it
Water saturation there may not be what you want either
Water saturation there may not be what you want either
Posted on 9/27/21 at 10:45 am to Slagathor
quote:
r cast iron plant
I can't stand cast iron plants, and don't really care for the look either.
You can make a small bed, but add the soil slowly. You don't want to choke out the tree.
Plant any shade loving plant. Hydrangeas do well.
Posted on 9/27/21 at 10:52 am to Rehage7
Fescue,
You will need to loosen that hardpan before getting anything to grow however.
You will need to loosen that hardpan before getting anything to grow however.
Posted on 9/27/21 at 11:01 am to bbvdd
quote:
Fescue,
Is there a trick to getting it to grow well in the heat? I planted in a shaded area of my yard and it did well until the first couple of hot days. It's completely gone now. I kept it watered.
Posted on 9/27/21 at 11:49 am to Rehage7
quote:
I just moved into a house with a hugh oak tree in the front yard. It's almost all dirt and creates a massive dust storm when I mow. What can I plant for ground cover that will grow and create a nice green area? Also, when it rains I have alot of runoff of dirt. TIA
What kind of oak? Live oak, water oak, red oak? Pics showing sunlight/shade situation would help.
You probably have a situation over time where the oak roots (which are rather shallow and very prevalent) have sucked up all of the moisture and killed off anything growing there, leaving you with what was accurately referred to by an earlier poster as "hardpan". That will require some work to plant ANYTHING. Aerate, loosen that stuff either with a tiller or a lot of shovel work. You may need to add some organic material if you have a clay-ey soil.
If the canopy is high and the bare ground gets sufficient sunlight, you can plant some grass; St. Augustine does best in shade, and certain varieties of Zoysia do pretty well also.
If that bare dirt area is mostly in shade, you would do well to plant some ground covers as in the first response poster's photo-- Asian jasmine, monkey/mondo grass, liriope, or English ivy. Mix it up with some taller items that do well in shade such as aspidistra/cast iron plant, azaleas, camellias, gardenias. You can throw in some caladium bulbs for spring and summer color as well.
Posted on 9/27/21 at 11:45 pm to Rehage7
Consider whether the canopy needs thinning to allow light to the ground.
I see people resodding and running sprinklers on the new sod under their oaks, only to see the sod die. They’ll do it again next year. But as long as there is no sunlight due to a thick, overgrown tree, that grass ain’t growing.
I see people resodding and running sprinklers on the new sod under their oaks, only to see the sod die. They’ll do it again next year. But as long as there is no sunlight due to a thick, overgrown tree, that grass ain’t growing.
Posted on 9/28/21 at 3:23 am to Rehage7
Shade-loving lawn grass will help you
Posted on 9/28/21 at 1:14 pm to BRich
quote:
English ivy
You should burned at the stake for this
Posted on 9/28/21 at 8:14 pm to Chad504boy

Always thought that look is awesome. What is it?
Posted on 9/28/21 at 9:34 pm to Rehage7
I have a huge live oak in my front yard and St. Augustine grass does well there.
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