IN THE GARDEN

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette shade illustration.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette shade illustration.

Q Our backyard is rather small and we have several large, mature trees. We are in the Washington-Willow neighborhood in Fayetteville, so, very established trees. The tree roots have completely choked out almost everything we have planted in the beds we made several years ago. We brought in topsoil and amended the beds, etc. Things looked great for a few years, but then the tree roots took over. So much so that we cannot even grow grass. We have gravel and a concrete patio -- with empty beds. The canopy from the trees in the summer makes the majority of the yard shady (one area is sunny). We had several cherry English laurel bushes that worked, but some of those also were choked to death. We have had the canopy trimmed over the years, but the question remains -- what do we put in those beds that will survive? I'd like some evergreen shrubs as well as some perennials so I don't have to plant every year. Any advice you have would be much appreciated.

A Tree roots do compete for nutrients and water, and often invade the soil around shrubs and perennials, but they do co-exist if you are prepared to water a bit more. Grass is hampered not by root competition but lack of sunlight. Grass does not grow in the shade. I would look at putting in some groundcover in some areas where you are wanting a more "grass-like" look. Mondo grass or monkey grass could do well. For shrubs, there are a variety of things to choose from including hollies, boxwood, "Otto Luyken" laurel and yews. For perennials, try hosta, heuchera, asarum, ferns, epimedium and hellebores. For annuals, try impatiens, Torenia, coleus and caladiums. Work up the soil, plant and water. There are many lovely gardens in deeply shaded yards that work alongside trees, but they will need extra water. Large containers can also be interspersed in the yard to add interest and grow plants above the root line.

Q I have a currant spice bush that blooms yellow spicy blooms in the spring. It sends out suckers, but I have not been successful in digging one up to share with a friend. Would I be more successful rooting a wood cutting in water?

A The spicy currant or Ribes odorata is an old-fashioned bush. What season are you dividing in? Suckers usually work, but you may try layering some of the floppy stems to increase the roots. Move them in the fall after they are rooted and they should work. They also root fairly easily from cuttings taken in mid-June to early July.

Q I have a question about the enclosed picture. I moved to a rental house a few months ago and don't know what all the plants are that have showed up in the backyard. Can you tell me what the little purple flowers are? Also, people have told me that the vine behind the plant is poison ivy, but I'm not sure as it has more than three leaves. Would you be able to tell me what that is and if it is poisonous? There is a lot of this ivy in the yard.

A The plant with purple flowers is a spiderwort (Tradescantia). The vine behind it often gets confused for poison ivy but it is Virginia creeper. Poison ivy has leaves of three with the two bottom leaves attached close together; the middle leaf has a little bit of a stem. Virginia creeper often has three leaves when the plant is young but gradually advances to five leaflets. All of the leaves, regardless of numbers, are attached at the same point.

Q I had a young tree transplanted in early March. It is a mulberry, I think. I planted it when it was just a bare-root twig three or four years ago, compliments of the Arbor Day Foundation. Now it's well over 15 feet tall. Question: The trunk and branches are green but there are no leaves. Is there something I should do? Will it live without leaves?

A It will not live without leaves to manufacture food. We did have some setbacks this spring with late freezes, and I am sure it has gone through a bit of shock of transplant. By now, most plants have rebounded and started to put on new foliage, but if there is still green wood, give it some more time to see if it leafs out. Water when dry, but if you see nothing by June 1, I would cut it back and see if it possibly sprouts back from the root system.

Janet B. Carson is a horticulture specialist for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. Write to her at 2301 S. University Ave., Little Rock, Ark. 72204 or email her at

[email protected]

photo

Special to the Democrat-Gazette/JANET B. CARSON

This spiderwort (Tradescantia) is growing beside Virginia creeper.

HomeStyle on 05/19/2018

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