A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2003 Oak Tree

I am new to this forum and hoping maybe someone can help - I have serached high and low and cannot find anything on this topic. I have a large oak in my front yard that is within a few feet from both our sidewalk and driveway - it is so rooted in this area that I cannot get grass or anything else growing here - keep in mind it is very shaded. I have seen other neighnors build up the soil in this area and grew grass, etc - but I have heard this can harm the Oak - since it is so close to our sidewalk and driveway - I have yet to figure out how to contain the soil - Someone suggested I plant dwarf azelas around the tree - because they are shallow rooted (what are other shallow rooted plants, and/or where can I find a listing) - Any advice or tips would be greatly appreicated

Hi and welcome to The Garden Helper missmarni.

If you are interested in some shallow rooted shrubs...consider some of these....

*Red-Osier Dogwood
*Black Twinberry
*Nineback
*Salmonberry
*Spirea
*Snowberry
*Kinnickinick
*Thimbleberry
*Evergreen Huckleberry
*Noolka rose
*Red currant

Good luck
Barb
barbsblooms@shaw.ca

Hi you had said, "I have seen other neighbors build up the soil in this area and grew grass, etc - but I have heard this can harm the Oak"

You can build up the soil level safely around the tree as long as you do not change the surface level where the trunk of the tree meets the ground. The trunk portion of the tree has a different bark then what lies under the soil. The bark below the surface is actually water proof, and the bark above is not. The bark above if kept constantly damp will eventually rot and "girdle" your tree, killing it. Many people do the same thing by putting mulch down too deep at the base of a tree as well.