Maple Roots

[wwolfe]

I have a large maple in our front yard and in the last few years it has been impossible to get healthy grass under the tree. Is this likely to be a shade problem or are the roots choking out anything else from growing.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

It depends on the species of ample you have, there have been reports of moderate allilopathy with turf under Norway maple. I can support this anicdotaly.

Anyways, it is best for the tree to have a mulch bed under it instead of turf. Try some shade loving perrenials too, I think maybells will grow under them.

 

[BlueCrab1027]

I've had the same problem with my Norway Maple. I trimmed some of the interior branches which allowed more light to reach the ground and , although this helped for a while, it was only temporary relief. Since then, I mulched heavily around the tree but I also planted a few Astilbe, Hosta, and Aquilegia around it. It doesn't look too bad - certainly better than the bare soil I had previously.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Those big leaves just hogg all the light .

I have done annual raising on these trees and have had mixed results in influancing turf.

The tree will be healthier without it and the mower dinging the roots.

Just dont do annuals that you need to till the soil with regularly and damage roots.

 

[active]

Maples also tend to draw a good deal of the available water out of the soil.

Plants that tend to do well under Maple trees like shade and tolerate drought.

Jim

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Even buckthorn is struggling under my 'Crimson King'