Anyone know a thing about landscaping...

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mhortsch

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Joined
Jan 9, 2005
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Minneapolis
Got a bunch of keystones this weekend. We have a huge old maple in our backyard. The drip line moving in is all dirt...so i wanna build a tree ring and plant some shrubs in there. Right now Im sitting at an 18 foot diamete, pretty big. Anyone have any ideas on recommended diameters?

Pretty odd topic, and probably wont get much of a response...worth a shot eh?
 
mhortsch said:
Got a bunch of keystones this weekend. We have a huge old maple in our backyard. The drip line moving in is all dirt...so i wanna build a tree ring and plant some shrubs in there. Right now Im sitting at an 18 foot diamete, pretty big. Anyone have any ideas on recommended diameters?

Pretty odd topic, and probably wont get much of a response...worth a shot eh?
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The dirt is there not because of shade or lack of water, but the fact that the tree is sucking up all of the nutrients and/or the tree changes the acidity level of the ground.

Your best bet is not to plant but landscape with artificial stuff.
 
i'm a landscape architect. if the soil's deep enough (the roots don't sit on top of the ground) there are a few plants you should try. liriope, day lily, or asian jasmine. makes sure to ask about them at your local plant store cuz i don't know how well they do in minneapolis. but they all do pretty well for the most part anywhere. if you're told they don't do well up there, try bermuda grass.
 
So you wanna keep the tree huh?

I hear it gets pretty cold up there in MN?
 
Drake said:
i'm a landscape architect. if the soil's deep enough (the roots don't sit on top of the ground) there are a few plants you should try. liriope, day lily, or asian jasmine. makes sure to ask about them at your local plant store cuz i don't know how well they do in minneapolis. but they all do pretty well for the most part anywhere. if you're told they don't do well up there, try bermuda grass.
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Oh YEAH, I knew that :thumbs: You and I gotta talk :D

I built a "ring" around a big silver maple in my yard with some flat stones. Mine is about the same diameter you've got marc, 18' to 20' in diameter. I plant annuals in it every year (impatients) but the damn things do lousy. :angry:

These stupid silver maples have their roots very close to the top of the ground which is why my raised bed is about 16" high. I've got a photo somewhere, I just have to upload it to one of those photobucket or fotiki sites so y'all can see it.
 
Ive read in a few places that you can't raise the soil past where the dirt meets the trunk of the tree. I plan on planting Hostas and Rocket Illegularia (sp?), but the dirt level rule means I can only have one layer of keystone! I just can't decide the diameter I should use.
 
mhortsch said:
Ive read in a few places that you can't raise the soil past where the dirt meets the trunk of the tree. I plan on planting Hostas and Rocket Illegularia (sp?), but the dirt level rule means I can only have one layer of keystone! I just can't decide the diameter I should use.
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Okay, this is really where we need Drake but I'll take a stab at it. I think this is the rule for smaller trees BUT in my case this big ole silver maple is almost three feet in diameter and its roots extend 30 to 40 feet out from the trunk so the fact that I essentially covered up a couple of feet around the base of the tree won't starve it of any nutrients. Besides, the base of this tree is ugly as all hell and weeds and poison ivy were growing there and I couldn't mow around it.

I have hosta and day lillies around the base of many large ash and maple trees on my property. Those plants have been there for over 50 years and the trees are still alive so I'd say the chances of this having any adverse affect on the tree are pretty remote.

Again, where's Drake? ???
 
coventrycat86 said:
mhortsch said:
Ive read in a few places that you can't raise the soil past where the dirt meets the trunk of the tree. I plan on planting Hostas and Rocket Illegularia (sp?), but the dirt level rule means I can only have one layer of keystone! I just can't decide the diameter I should use.
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Okay, this is really where we need Drake but I'll take a stab at it. I think this is the rule for smaller trees BUT in my case this big ole silver maple is almost three feet in diameter and its roots extend 30 to 40 feet out from the trunk so the fact that I essentially covered up a couple of feet around the base of the tree won't starve it of any nutrients. Besides, the base of this tree is ugly as all hell and weeds and poison ivy were growing there and I couldn't mow around it.

I have hosta and day lillies around the base of many large ash and maple trees on my property. Those plants have been there for over 50 years and the trees are still alive so I'd say the chances of this having any adverse affect on the tree are pretty remote.

Again, where's Drake? ???
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yeah, you're right. adding soil won't hurt that tree. you should be safe adding up to 6" of soil above where the soil currently meets the trunk of the tree.
 
thanks

Now i get to go drop another $100 on more keystones to create a second row!!!

Drake, whats your opinion on tree rings.

is there a general rule of thumb for diameter? Is 18 feet ...it does takes up a nice chunck of my backyard...but if no grass is gonna grow there anyway...I just dont know. I managed to landscape my entire yard, and this comes along and stumps me, where's that dial-a-designer when you need one.

If I supplied a pic, would anyone wanna take a stab at it?
 
mhortsch said:
thanks

Now i get to go drop another $100 on more keystones to create a second row!!!

Drake, whats your opinion on tree rings.

is there a general rule of thumb for diameter? Is 18 feet ...it does takes up a nice chunck of my backyard...but if no grass is gonna grow there anyway...I just dont know. I managed to landscape my entire yard, and this comes along and stumps me, where's that dial-a-designer when you need one.

If I supplied a pic, would anyone wanna take a stab at it?
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glad to. i'd say a tree ring is the way to go if no grass will grow. 18'-20' would be good. i wouldn't go any bigger. the only thing about the plants i always use is that i live in texas. i've only been doing this for a little over 2 years and i'm no expert. the same plants that do well here aren't going to be the same as what does well there. althoght liriope and day lilies are pretty good anywhere. i use a lot of 50%/50% giant liriope/ day lily mix under crape myrtles and live oaks all the time. post a pic of the tree.
 
I hear the price of firewood is going to be at a premium this year due to higher fuel cost............

if you cut it down now it will be nice and dry by winter ........... LOL ;)
 
I solved the issue. Spent about 30 minutes after work, brought the diameter in a bit, started stacking a second layer to get a good feel for it. I like it much better. Just need to get about 35 more keystones and im set!!
 
Well I got it done!!! Finished the tree ring sunday. I've been meaning to take pics to post, but its been raining since!!! Ill update with a few snaps if anyone is interested in seeing it. It was a fun project.
 
mhortsch said:
Well I got it done!!! Finished the tree ring sunday. I've been meaning to take pics to post, but its been raining since!!! Ill update with a few snaps if anyone is interested in seeing it. It was a fun project.
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yes, please do.
 
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