{"id":16681,"date":"2021-04-09T08:25:04","date_gmt":"2021-04-09T12:25:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/?p=16681"},"modified":"2021-04-09T08:25:04","modified_gmt":"2021-04-09T12:25:04","slug":"ground-cover","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2021\/04\/09\/ground-cover\/","title":{"rendered":"Can I plant pachysandra underneath my service berry tree as a ground cover?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Question:<\/h3>\n

Can I plant pachysandra underneath my service berry tree as a ground cover? The service berry is two years old and 7\u2019 tall. I\u2019m wondering if they would be compatible?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Answer:<\/h3>\n

Marjorie Peronto, Extension Educator<\/em><\/p>\n

Many people do plant pachysandra or other ground covers beneath trees, and the trees survive, but it is not the best horticultural practice. 80 to 90% of a tree’s feeder roots (the fine roots that take in water and nutrients) are located in the top twelve inches of the soil. Planting a ground cover directly beneath your tree puts it in direct competition with your tree’s roots. They are each fighting for the same water and nutrient supply, and neither one lives up to its potential. It is far better to keep the entire area under the tree’s canopy completely free of vegetation, and mulched with wood chips, wood shavings, or another form of organic material. Doing so will suppress weed growth under the tree, and moderate any fluctuations in soil temperature and water. A tree’s root system extends laterally, shallowly, up to two to three times wider than the canopy drip line. It’s best to minimize any competition with those roots.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Question: Can I plant pachysandra underneath my service berry tree as a ground cover? The service berry is two years old and 7\u2019 tall. I\u2019m wondering if they would be compatible? Answer: Marjorie Peronto, Extension Educator Many people do plant pachysandra or other ground covers beneath trees, and the trees survive, but it is not […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[199,202],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16681","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ask","category-maintenance"],"yoast_head":"\nCan I plant pachysandra underneath my service berry tree as a ground cover? - Cooperative Extension: Garden and Yard - University of Maine Cooperative Extension<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2021\/04\/09\/ground-cover\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Can I plant pachysandra underneath my service berry tree as a ground cover? - Cooperative Extension: Garden and Yard - University of Maine Cooperative Extension\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Question: Can I plant pachysandra underneath my service berry tree as a ground cover? The service berry is two years old and 7\u2019 tall. I\u2019m wondering if they would be compatible? 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