Dee Goddard

Timothy Norton wrote:I'm a sucker for marked down plants and have had great success in the past. I find that I have similar survival rates as I do with plants when they are first put out. As long as the plant is good for my growing zone, it goes into the ground.

This works great for trees and woody shrubs. Bareroot has been my preference over potted specimens.

I just got some bareroot trees a week ago. What would be the best way for them since we are below freezing at night and almost until 10am each morning? I work from home but don’t have the time to break out the 100ft hoses, water, roll them back up at lunch just for it to freeze 7-8 hours later. Should I temp pot them until nighttime temps are better?

Anne Miller wrote:when we lived in town years ago I remember our shrubs were far enough away from the house that I could walk behind them, between the shrubs and the house.

My guess would be about 24 inches or more.

100% I was thinking the 4-6 ft radius ones would be good at the 2ft range. I really want a few for the ends that are like 10ft tall/12ft wide like the Winterberry which is causing my hesitation lol

Zone 8a, hard clay, sloped area away from house and towards the front area, full sun. New to us house, built 2022 and we bought May 2023.

I’m planning the areas against my house and thinking about putting native shrubs as the layer closest to the house to shade the crawl space in the summer, create heat barrier in the winter and provide habitat so our indoor cats can have some viewing entertainment. I don’t want to plant them too close and eventually have roots affect the foundation.

Is there a general rule concerning how far out shrub roots grow? NC has a ton of tall native shrubs that would be great between the windows for that additional summer shade.

I’ve been searching for a while and read the root section in Sustainable Food Gardens but all I can find is information about tree roots.

Yep, my wife is immune compromised and want to triple ensure we aren’t growing anything near the area that’s edible. I want to push this far away from the house anyway so the French drain and having plant barrier is key.

It won’t be going into any waterways.

Yeah, I was thinking of combining the ideas since it will be fairly close to the house. Push the water away from the house with a French drain style system then use the plants to filter and create a barrier.

That’s a good idea!

I could do a French drain and use some of the plants that tolerate high nitrogen around it so it not just lawn or bare.

Thank you, Luke!

I was trying to remember the name of a reed bed lol

I don’t think it would be too large since it will only be used maybe 1 day a month and hopefully only a few gallons at a time.

I’ll relook up reed beds and add it to the plan!

I just moved into a new house and want build a wash station so I can wash/rinse awkward stuff like washable hvac filters, cat boxes, window screens, dogs etc.

I’ll be using plant based soaps when needed but what can I build that will help filter the grey water. The area won’t be close to food plants but the stuff in cat waste make me want to ensure it won’t contaminate the area (I clean out the boxes about 3-4 times a year)

Anne Miller wrote:I would want to plant fast-growing trees that are evergreen.

What type of trees are native to your area?

This article lists several that are pretty and evergreen:

https://www.thespruce.com/fast-growing-trees-5070367

I was thinking of doing some evergreens a little further out from the house as a privacy screen. The winter sun hits the front of the house and (in the picture) that right side, didn’t want evergreens too close and blocking the winter sun. Summer sun gets the front, same side as winter sun and the end at the back.

Evergreen Trees
Atlantic White-cedar, Chamaecyparis thyoides Ti-ti, Cyrilla racemiflora
American Holly, Ilex opaca
Topel Holly, Ilex x attenuata
Eastern Red-cedar, Juniperus virginiana
Southern Magnolia, Magnolia grandiflora Sweet-bay, Magnolia virginiana var. australis Common Wax-myrtle, Morella cerifera syn. Myrica
cerifera
Red Bay, Persea palustris syn. Persea borbonia Long-leaf Pine, Pinus palustris
Eastern White Pine, Pinus strobus is suitable for the
mountains though difficult to grow in the piedmont
or coastal plain
Loblolly Pine, Pinus taeda
Laurel Oak, Quercus hemisphaerica Live Oak, Quercus virginiana
Eastern Arborvitae, Thuja occidentalis Eastern Hemlock, Tsuga canadensis

These are great suggestions. We just moved in last month and I’m only started to get some general ideas so far.

I know we are going to put a patio off the back and incorporate a kitchen garden around it with blueberries and other berries. Eventual goal is to have a walkable edible property but I know this house of going need definite shade.

Other places around the house I’m thinking some oaks, weeping willow for a soggy area near the left side of the house (mid-afternoon sun). These will be the upper portion with fruit trees, tea bushes, asparagus bushes etc catching the rest of the sun.