Barrier outside a garden can protect it from other roots
Question: Is there an effective method to prevent the roots from surrounding trees and bushes from invading my raised beds? I have already tried by removing all the soil and installing a layer of cloth weed barrier. However even this has not solved the issue. Any ideas?
Answer: This is a common problem since our raised beds provide a wonderful environment for tree and shrub roots to grow. Try installing a barrier along the outside of the raised bed. You’ll need to dig a trench at least 18” deep. You will find a variety of products for sale. Check the reviews and select the one that poses no threat to plants or the environment and is best suited to your situation. Weigh the effort and cost of installing such a barrier with removing roots each year and increasing the amount of water and fertilizer needed to successfully grow your raised bed garden.
Q: I have a stand of established deciduous trees that create lots of shade. Thanks to a major excavation on a neighbor’s property, much of my wooded area is being eroded by runoff from this project. This has killed the natural plant covering and left bare ground. Topsoil is running downhill to a creek below. I did plant a shade tolerant fescue mix that has grown and seems to be doing OK. Is this a good choice?
A: Fescues are a shade tolerant turf grass. Time will tell if it receives enough sunlight and moisture to survive and thrive in this situation.
I often see shade tolerant grasses thin out throughout the summer as the trees leaf out and block not only the sunlight but also the rainfall reaching the plants below.
Continue to monitor the health and vigor of this planting. If the grass does start to decline, you may want to try a shade tolerant ground cover. Our native Canadian ginger is shade and fairly drought tolerant and fills in quickly. The native Pennsylvania sedge is a grasslike plant that is shade tolerant and can often be found growing in tufts in our woodlands. Christmas ferns as well as other native ferns are an option.
Start planting those areas under the greatest threat or where the grass is failing. Consider using a mix of shade tolerant ground covers to help prevent the whole planting from being destroyed by a disease or insect infestation.
New plantings under trees benefit from supplemental watering the first few years as they develop a more drought tolerant root system. If the neighbor’s construction is still posing a threat, consider creating a barrier of landscape fabric at the property line and along the creek. You have probably seen these used on construction sites to protect the soil and water quality during construction.
Email questions to melindamyers. com, or write P.O. Box 798, Mukwonago, WI 53149