Installing a plant bed around trees.
The first step is to layout the area where you want a woodland area.
In most cases you will be replacing lawn for a mulched woodscape.
What I have found to be a great benefit is start from large trees and
work out. One you have a area in mind then use a mower to outline the
area. You will want to mow around your mulched area. By using the
mower you will keep the shape so that a lawn mower can mow around it.
Once you have the area and the shape you will want to have an edging
around it to define its shape. My favorite is to remove the grass around
the edge of the area. I use a sod cutter and cut a strip 12 inch wide around
the edge. If you have tree roots at the surface you will have to use a
edging that can be put on the surface.
Next, I lay a piece of weed barrier in the area where the grass was removed.
This will keep weeds down around the edge. Then I lay brick next to the grass
like the drawing below.
Once you have the brick and fabric in place you will have to remove the grass
inside the area. You could remove it with a sod cutter but this could
remove a lot of the trees feeder roots. I prefer to either cover the grass with a
weed fabric for a couple months till it dies. Or I apply a herbicide using a wipe
on applicator. I use a product call the Side-swipe. Using a spray could result in
applying too much or the spray drifting into other plants and trees.
Once the grass has been eliminated then Agroliners bags can be installed in the area
to provide areas free of invasive tree roots. Go to the pages on invasive tree roots to
learn about the Agroliners.
Finally, when the lawn is gone and the Agroliners installed I mulch the whole area.
You now have a area ready to install plants.
