under the chestnut tree - Ask Extension
what are the best options for gardening/landscaping under a horse chestnut tree? This past spring/summer have been my first seasons gardening here. ...
Knowledgebase
under the chestnut tree #216419
Asked October 10, 2014, 4:07 PM EDT
what are the best options for gardening/landscaping under a horse chestnut tree? This past spring/summer have been my first seasons gardening here. The ground around it is quite dusty and dry, although i have been raking the debris, except the nuts, to the base of the tree with some soil and wood chips. I have begun a vegetable plot at the far reaches of its shade and have cleared as much debris as possible there. i am curious about what plants might do well in this soil.
Multnomah County Oregon
Expert Response
Aesculus hippocastanum is a large deciduous tree, commonly known as a horse-chestnut or conker tree. These trees usually cast shade too dense to grow much of anything underneath the canopy, with the root system using the water and nutrients.
"Most tree roots are located in the top 6 to 24 inches of the soil and occupy an area two to four times the diameter of the tree crown." (from Colorado State Extension, "Healthy Roots and Healthy Trees" http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/02926.html. Mulching around the tree is fine, though don't stack it against the trunk, as the bark can break down, giving entrance to disease and pests. If the tree roots prove too much for your vegetable plot, consider raised beds.
Sometimes you'll see mature trees with lawn and fern, perhaps a few shrubs underneath. The success of these plants growing under the tree is likely based on irrigation and fertilization. If you do this, start a small area and don't disturb the whole root area. Containers often prove a good strategy for shade plantings under such a tree.
Thank you for your question. Researching the tree lead me search to "how to play conkers".
"Most tree roots are located in the top 6 to 24 inches of the soil and occupy an area two to four times the diameter of the tree crown." (from Colorado State Extension, "Healthy Roots and Healthy Trees" http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/02926.html. Mulching around the tree is fine, though don't stack it against the trunk, as the bark can break down, giving entrance to disease and pests. If the tree roots prove too much for your vegetable plot, consider raised beds.
Sometimes you'll see mature trees with lawn and fern, perhaps a few shrubs underneath. The success of these plants growing under the tree is likely based on irrigation and fertilization. If you do this, start a small area and don't disturb the whole root area. Containers often prove a good strategy for shade plantings under such a tree.
Thank you for your question. Researching the tree lead me search to "how to play conkers".
