When I worked as a Live Nursery Specialist, for a company that will remain nameless, every time I got asked a question that stumped me I would write it down in a little notebook I carried with me. This notebook acted as a cheat sheet anytime someone would ask me that question again, especially if it required a detailed answer. I would go home and do my research and keep the answer close to me because I got asked the same questions all of the time. Specifically these two:
"Is there anything that I can use instead of grass?" and
"I have a large tree in my backyard and grass will not grow beneath it. What can I do to make the grass grow?"
Among other things, the short answer to the first question is that there is no easy way to get rid of all your grass. You can always expect to cut some grass, however you can eliminate some or a lot of it. Unless you live in an area or place where people do not care if you cut your grass or not. Then you can just let it go and simply ignore all the weeds which spring up and grow as large as small trees, as well as the actual small trees (like Mimosa) which will surround your home in a rather short period of time. Not to mention the wildlife like snakes which will move in and thrive in an area like that.
At one time I had a magazine with an article in it that gave some options for things that you can do instead of grow grass. Unfortunately I have no idea what I did with this article, but one thing I do remember is that they suggested using plants from the Western United States where it is more dry. The reason this is important is because when you are trying to grow something instead of grass obviously you want something that is low maintenance. There are more reasons which I will delve into later. All that said here are some suggestions for eliminating some of that turf which will hopefully result in less mowing and other work:
FLOWER BEDS
The first option here would be to build flower beds around your home, trees, and shrubs. Be careful with putting Mulch around your home since Mulch beside ones home can result in termites. Many companies that do landscaping do not recommend it. Mulch around a tree however can be extended all the way out to the drip line (edge of the canopy where the tree no longer shades the ground), which homeowners rarely ever do. The area beneath large trees is also usually bare and rocky with the soil visible. When you put mulch around your trees out to the drip line it also protects the roots. Roots that have been damaged can result in rot and later the death of the tree, maybe. There are other areas where one can build a flower bed depending on other plantings you might have on your property and personal preference. For example, you might want to build and Island Flowerbed.
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((Image of an area near the entrance to the Gardens at Spartanburg Community College, notice how much fills the area up to the drip line.))
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((An image of the bed beneath the Japanese Cherry at SCC, unfortunately this image was taken in the Fall and this tree which is quit old is not looking as spectacular as it did in times past. Still, a great example of what can be done beneath a tree that is preventing grass from growing. One could still have an excellent planting of Hostas.))
STONE
The second option for eliminating turf would be to use decorative stone. Stone has been used since the dawn of mankind to build with. In the Northern United states there are stone walls which are centuries old. The Farmers would find stones which appeared out of the earth in the summer. These stones appear due to the ice and snow in the cold seasons making them rise from the earth. The Farmers would use these stones to build their walls around their property. If you build well with your stone then you will leave behind a small legacy that could be there hundreds of years from now. There are many different types of stone that one can use to build with. There is pre made stone, garden stone like that mentioned above to build walls with, river stone which is smooth, etc. One of the most popular types of stone is Slate. Slate is mined from the earth from the slate belt which lies not too deep beneath the earth. The Slate Belt runs from North Carolina, through South Carolina, and into Georgia. It is believed to have formed when Africa and North America separated. The Slate was formed from the mud and heat from that separation of landmasses. Stone can be used to build many small structures in the landscape such as Stone Paths, Patios, and my personal favorite Fire Pits!
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((A Stone Retaining Wall I built around a Pond for my Father 13 years ago, it is still there. No cement or bonding material was used.))
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((Another example of a retaining wall this time at SCC. This one made from slate at river rock.))
AN ORNAMENTAL GRASS?
When I read that article an Ornamental Grass was mentioned, it was a grass native to the Western United States. When I was in College I had a Professor who stressed the need for Plant Lists. Anytime that you have unique site research it and compile a list of plants which are able to thrive in it. Whether it be a list of plants that grow well where there are drainage issues or full shade. Keep in mind that if you fill your property with Ornamental Grasses then you would create a mono culture. An area that is highly susceptible to disease. Not to mention the fact that it would be quite boring to look over someones property and see the same thing throughout. However, I could see the need for such a planting in a small area. A quick Google Search reveals the following from the top three articles which are included in the links at the end of this article:
- Ornamental Grasses - already mentioned but I would prefer the low growing ones. Only use to reduce area of turf lawn.
- ie. Fine Fescues and
- Deer Grass
- Mondo Grass
- Moss - a Groundcover and Groundcovers are what makes up most of this list.
- Evergreen Moss,
- Creeping Charlie
- Sweet Woodruff, a perennial groundcover
- Red Creeping Thyme
- Clover, costs $4 to cover nearly 4,000 sq ft. This is your best option to fill a large area, but keep in mind that deer like to eat it.
- Chamomile
- Snow-In-Summer
- Dutch Clover
- Japanese Sweet Flag, and more Groundcovers such as
- Barberry Cotoneaster
- Asian Star Jasmine
- Creeping Jenny
- Oregano, another Creeping Herb
- Lantana
- Stonecrop Succulent
- Lily of the Valley
- Corsican Mint
- Creeping Ivy
- Prostrate Rosemary
- Rosemary Hedges
- Low-Growing Shrubs
- ie. Dwarf Myrtle
- Silver Ponyfoot
- Mint
- Yarrow
- Creeping Lilyturf
- California Meadow Sedge
- Ice Plant, beware it is Invasive in Zone 7b!
- Stonecrop/Sedum
Keep in mind the Zone in which you live where you will be planting. Some of the above might not be suitable for your area. Another option which I saw in the Install It Direct article which for some reason escaped me as I was writing this is planting a garden, here are some examples:
- Planting a Meadow of Wildflowers
- Vegetable Garden, which would make use of your Soil
- Herb Garden
- Rock Garden, maybe even a Zen Garden!
- Succulent Garden
- Orchard of Fruit Trees
It is said that my Great Grandmother loved flowers and once had an entire yard full of them with a small path from her front door to her mailbox. However, she lived in a small house and had a small yard.
WILDLIFE GARDENS
Another option if you are not worried about the Homeowners Association is a Wildlife Garden. It is also a favorite of mine. To create a Wildlife Garden simply choose an area of your property you no longer wish to maintain and just let it go! Be sure to choose an area that will not be an eye sore. You will be doing nature a favor in doing this because the area will be used by birds to nest in. Birds are somewhat endangered. If the area is close to water or is moist it may be used by amphibians. I once went to a Symposium where a young lady was presenting a poster on amphibians. This young lady told me all amphibians are endangered due to the gradual loss of their habitat. One thing to remember if your knowledge of native plants is good you may wish to remove invasive plants from your Wildlife Garden. It has been scientifically proven that an area that has invasive species removed has more wildlife.
OTHER OPTIONS
Some other options which I find less interesting are Artificial Turf, Gravel, Building a Deck, Gazebo or Playground. None of which appeal to me except the Playground. The rest of those options to me are, Meh...
So, on to the second question "I have a large tree in my backyard and grass will not grow beneath it. What can I do to make the grass grow?"
Which I think I have already answered, simply fill around the tree out to the drip line with Mulch and plant some flowers. However, if you are determined to get grass to grow around that tree it is going to take some serious WORK. A fella who used to work for a manufacturer of fertilizer once told me that you could dig deep around the roots of that tree and put down some gypsum. That would put the nutrients back into the soil and get the grass to grow.
There are some problems with that method though, for one thing it will no doubt disturb the roots of that tree and possibly lead to the destruction of the buttress roots. This will make the tree not only eventually die but make it unstable and a hazard to your home and loved ones should it fall. It also does nothing to deal with the shade. Some types of grass do better in shade which are your Cool Season Grasses, such as Fescue. You should also hire a professional to trim inside that tree which will allow the light to get through and make the grass grow. To hire someone to trim that tree the right way will cost as well. Still, your best option is to try another grass, get that tree trimmed, and fertilize if you are determined to get that grass to grow. If none of that works build a flower bed it is the best option in my humble opinion
CONCLUSION
In College I was told there were two types of Horticulturalists, those who preferred Turf and those who Preferred Trees. I am in the latter camp and would prefer a landscape filled with trees. However, it is important to note that turf does more to keep the soil healthy than trees do. Turf provides more nutrients than leaf fall from trees and it is likely that that is the reason for it's adoption in the landscape. Farming exhausts the Soil and Turf helps to heal it and make it fruitful once again which is likely what the European Aristocrats who initially planted it wanted for the land to keep it's value. In England there are stands of grass centuries old.
LINKS/SOURCES:
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