oops double post

This post was edited by socks12345 on Tue, Jun 10, 14 at 20:35

socks it really would not hurt our feelings if the tree were to rot and die. The previous owners let it get too big for the yard. To be frank, we don't have the money to get it cut down and the stump ground out...We have a crepe myrtle that is right up against the house that needs to go as well. It is just too close to the foundation..

A lot of things do..ferns, hosta, Solomon seal, impatiens, Jacob's ladder,

A lot of things do..ferns, hosta, Solomon seal, impatiens, Jacob's ladder,

{{!gwi}}

Here you can see astilbe, primrose, several ferns....
I have two acres of oak trees. If it grows in the shade it will grow under oaks.

A picture of the area you are discussing would be really helpful. A 12 year-old oak is an infant, in oak life spans. Whatever size it is now, it will continue to grow well after we are all dead and buried. I would plan on increasing shade and heavy leaf fall every year. On the other hand, trees are a fantastic investment in the future, if used appropriately. They provide shade and wind block as well as support wildlife. They also help decrease the CO2 in our atmosphere. If the tree is truly too large for the site already, you'd be far better off getting rid of it sooner than later. If you choose to keep it, decide what style of yard you want to shoot for and see if you can post a picture so we can be more specific in our suggestions.

Martha

as Arcy has indicated, anything and everything (good that is) will grow under oaks. Btw, that 12 y.o. oak is a baby.

This pic link is just part of my garden growing in a grove of 60' oaks which are anywhere from 80-113 y.o. (I know as I counted the rings on a huge red oak that I had to have cut down after losing a good part of it in a storm 6/26/08). They're thriving in oak litter and beautiful sandy loam.

This post was edited by birdsong72 on Thu, Jul 3, 14 at 7:37

Here's a shot from the roof of my ranch (I was clearing gutters that day) of the pathway from the north garden to where it spills into the back yard - Spent a couple of hours there that day as warblers were all over the place and I just 'hung out with them' :-)

If you click on my pic, it will 'right itself', thus avoiding a stiff neck.

This post was edited by birdsong72 on Sun, Jul 6, 14 at 8:01

Oh man, I would love an Oak tree in my garden. We lost the trees in front of our house. Now my shaded garden is in full sun. My hosta, bleeding heart, Mertensia verginica, Solomon's Seals, Heuchera, ajuga, Phlox paniculata, epimedium, Brunnera, wild ginger, and Mayapple are suffering.

I have a bunch of very large oaks in our yard. I want to be sure not to hurt them if I put some plants under them. Is it best to add soil on top to put plants in or is it ok to dig it till a little?

ozzy2001, it is not good to add soil on top. Why? Because plant roots not only need water and nutrients, they need oxygen. If you change the level of the soil, the oxygen supply is reduced, and those roots suffocate.

Dig around carefully, not too close to the trunks. If you find a major root, try a different spot. For best results, choose plants that are, in nature, found under large trees (ferns, hellebores, and the like).

orchid... it may depend where you live. I believe most posts are from east and midwest. If you are in Georgia, then the above info applies; but since you say you are in zone 7, i question that. If you are on the west coast, then usually nothing grows directly under oaks although I did have some agapanthus and calla lilies growing well that were closer than expected.

Thanks hoov

Orchidllauraga, is your oak still standing?

Um, okay, I will just say to the original poster, I hope you didn't have this nice oak that is providing all of this shade removed. I just don't know why somebody would buy a plot of land or a home with a bunch of shade trees IF that isn't the kind of yard you wanted, there are so many people (me included) that would just LOVE a yard with mature oaks to shade most of the yard, to think somebody bought that property and they hated a shaded lot, I am just boggled by it. I say this because the OP seemed to be okay if this big ole oak were to rot and die, and there is no mention of this tree having any rotting wood, or that's what my take is. Did I miss something? I would love to have a big ole oak in my yard, I have acouple that provide some decent shade, but, I would love to take this giant oak off the hands of the OP.

I, too, love a shaded front yard but sometimes you buy a house with other features you like other than what's in the front yard. Especially if you're on a budget.

Hi Daisy, and anyone else reading this, it seems the OP has lost interest in the subject.