Mulch and planting under cedar tree

Discussion in 'Outdoor Gardening in the Pacific Northwest' started by Philip W Prud'homme, Apr 20, 2020.

  1. Philip W Prud'homme

    Philip W Prud'homme New Member

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    Last year I took the incredible trouble of scraping off the soil around the big cedar in our front yard, down a few inches, and then covered with wood chips from a neighbors chip piles. I've discovered two things: A) It doesn't look good, and B) The wood chips are not good for the soil, and makes it very difficult to plant anything.

    I've bought some plants that might do good, Epenium and Lung wart and Camilias, for under the cedar tree.

    Should I remove all the chips off the surface under the tree and replace with the dirt I scrapped last off last summer and then plant?

    Thanks in advance for your help.
     
  2. Georgia Strait

    Georgia Strait Generous Contributor

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    Can you tell us what issue you were trying to solve by scraping off the natural soil ?
     
  3. Philip W Prud'homme

    Philip W Prud'homme New Member

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    I guess I was thinking that'd further retard the growth of weeds and such. Again, I did it last summer but I saved the soil I spread so I could reapply it after I remove the gross mulch chips. The short answer to your question is that I did not do a lot of research and relied on suggestions from some friends.

    Btw, your screen name is awesome!
     
  4. Georgia Strait

    Georgia Strait Generous Contributor

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    Good morning Puget Sound (Salish Sea):

    There is a similar question currently on here tho it’s about the typical cedar hedge

    On that thread - you’ll see that Ron B suggests evergreen fern — and I agree 100%
    British Columbia: - Suggestions for fast growing plants from seeds, around cedar hedges?



    Sword fern
    Polystichum munitum - Wikipedia


    They look great as a swath (a large sweeping planting) —- just like you’ll see native in the natural forest

    You might need some extra patches of rich earth to establish them ... and a soaker gently watering them in our typically dry warm summers

    Once established — they can do dry shade well

    That said - do not go enthusiastically digging and re-grading around cedar roots.

    I don’t know WA state rules about digging ferns fr govt lands — tho maybe you know of a private acreage set to be logged or turned in to subdivision and you can get permission to dig and salvage — these ferns are pretty forgiving esp in the cooler wet months

    Then accent with a shaded peaceful seating area for 1 or 2 with view of your garden .... and maybe a striking large container you plant seasonally

    Hostas also can tolerate dry shade once you get them going — tho no leaves on them in winter .

    The pix below show sword fern as of today at approx 28” height. They conceal (partially) an Allen Block wall

    One of the ferns has last yr and this year growth

    The other fern is same species; I cut the last year fronds off before this year fonds grew so tall. It’s a personal preference —-

    Around the sword fern with 2 season growth of grinds, You can also see salal and the small white flower ground cover Sweet Woodruff.

    Next to the hair cut fern — there is a planter of oriental lilies sprouting (my lilies tend to rot if in the ground in this microclimate zone ... And some rhodo (I think it’s Mission Bells next to a sturdy little PJM that bloomed around Easter 2020.

    And a fleshy bright green fern that is not the best but I like its look right now. (Dies in summer drought - water restrictions by which time my hostas a big and full and cover the spring ferns.
     

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    Last edited: May 3, 2020

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