Subject: A raised perennial bed under an old maple?
From: "dhs" <dhs@mit.edu>
Organization: M.I.T.
Date: 1 Nov 1997 02:07:45 GMT
Message-ID: <MOD$971031.11074@rec.gardens.ecosystems>


I have a beautiful sugar maple here in New England in zone 5, which is
probably 100 years old, and in a good shape. It is a pure delight. My first
fall looking at it in this new garden. Superb!
There is a perennial bed underneath, just outside the drip line, in which I
want to redo the plantings. The size of the bed is about 1/10th of the size
under the tree. When I dug up part of it, I found a lot of nets of roots,
which (I just realized) are the roots of the tree. (Of course...).
I don't want to dig anymore, in order to not bother the roots. But I still
must change the plants there. (Want to plant miniature roses, among other
things).

Can I bring in soil, and make a raised bed (8 inches or so)? I could then
plant without disturbing the roots. Would the feeder roots of the tree go
up into the soil I am bringing in, and would I face the same problem in a
year or two?

Thanks for your comments Lisa