Shade Gardening Questions

by Doug
(Somewhere in Lake Ontario)

Here's the place you ask questions about shade gardening.

What is it you really need to know to succeed with this kind of garden bed?

What are the main problems you face that you'd like help with?

Use the "comments" link below to add your questions.

Doug

Comments for
Shade Gardening Questions

Click here to add your own comments

? ground covers
by: Ann

I have fairly deep tree shade where I have used ground covers of various kinds( vinca, ajuga, pachasandra, sweet woodruff) too successfully, I think, as they seem to compete with each other as well as for the attention (attractiveness) of the perenniels that come up through it, such as my hosta. However, It does seem to help hold the moisture in the soil like a mulch would . Would I be better to pull out the ground covers?

Mold in my shade garden
by: Kathie

I do not water my shade garden very often and every year I will have have green mold.

Shade gardening
by: Ruth

I would like to know what would grow under very tall maples (alot of shade), clay soil, and dry conditions. My front yard had 13 maples, grass doesn't want to grow under the maples, what will grow? Need help. This is my front yard where everyone sees it. I would like it to look pretty like the rest of my yard. Help. thanks,

Wet/DryShade
by: Ronnie

My shade is very wet in the spring and fall during rain periods; water lays and the soil is spongy. Come summer, it's dry as a bone with some cracking in the lawn. Some perennials nearly drown and then wilt in the heat. Any recommendations?

shade nutrients
by: Mary Ann

Hi Doug
I'd like more info about the nutrition and water requirements needed to balance all the vegetation. It seems that trees get it all. thanks

Clay soil AND shade
by: Katherine, London

Hi - any suggestions on plants {perennials or shrubs} that would work in a heavy clay soil that is often in shade?

Shade gardening
by: Shirley

I'd like to have a good overview of insects and diseases associated with shade gardens.
Slugs are the bane of my shade garden's existence and powdery mildew runs a close second.
Is the watering method implicated/most important?
Pruning to improve light in an aging shade garden seems critical. Seems we might need a seminar on pruning!!!
Tx!

shade with hot sun at the end of the day
by: Cherry

I have spent all my time out in the sunny garden and now I seem to have dead spots in the shade. My shade is all under pine trees. I have trimmed up the bottom branches, so now my shade gets full sun for about 2 hours a day. My more sensitive plants have died off, leaving even more empty space.
How can I fill in a shade spot that gets 2 hours of hot sun? I know I need to water even more b/c of the trees, I don't mind that. I just want plants that are pretty and will live through it. We are in zone 4/5 in a semi arid climate.
Love what you and the princess are doing! It's great to get all the info in one place!

Shade gardening
by: Elaine

As always I'll go along with what everyone
else wants thanks for all your advise

Dry bright shade
by: Yvonne Martin

My big problem area is a one-foot wide area between our house and some bushes. It is under the eaves of the house so doesn't get rain. Although it is shady there, but never really dark. Even weeds don't grow in this spot. I'd like any ground cover that would grow. Of course, I could just put mulch there, but it is too wide to look sensible, especially because the adjoining areas are thickly planted. I'm in zone 5 with nice deep soil. I'd be willing to water until plants are established, but I don't plant things that will always require water.

dry shade and woodland garden
by: Jennifer

Hi Doug,
Thanks for all your hard work and great advice!
I have a large area at the front of our property that is wooded and I would like/am trying to establish a woodland garden there. I have roughed out a path and planted trilliums, ferns, wild ginger, and brunnera. The problem is of course that it is very dry. I have been trying to blow all the leaves from the yard into the woods to keep it as natural as possible and to provide mulch and organic matter. It is to large an area to water. I also tried to establish some perennial beds at the edge of the woods and they are struggling for the same reasons. Any great solutions? The plants in general are surviving but by no means thriving.
Thanks again,
Jenn

How to start
by: John at JWLW

How you start a shade garden is very important, do you dig up under the trees and disturb all the roots or do you build on top of whats there and what are good materials to use.

Deep shade,,No sun
by: LindaE.

I would like to know what would grow in deep, shade. I have two huge sugar maples in the front. And had to get things to grow there, Any suggestions appreciated..

Shade not Dappled
by: Anonymous

My shade is not dappled but complete shade half of the day and complete sun the other half.
I'm not sure what to plant because of the half day of full sun.

Shade Garden
by: Anonymous

I am reasonably successful with shade-loving annuals in the summer, using underground irrigation within the beds. Come winter, when the irrigation is off for the season, and the trees drop their leaves, any perennials become dessicated and I have not been able to overwinter any but a few hostas. I would like to hear some suggestions for perennials that might endure these harsh winter conditions. Am in Canada zone 3B with cold spells during the winter, lots of sun and very little snow covering.
Thanks in advance for your advice.

ferns for dry shade
by: fossiljim

Hi Doug
Looking forward to the discussion on this topic.
I'd be interested in learning of different ferns that could be used in shade, including dry shade. I have an area near white pine that becomes mulched heavily in fall with the needles. I like the look of a variety of ferns in gardens I've seen, but don't know their names or which ones would be appropriate, not spread rapidly, which ones may be evergreen (southern Ontario). Thanks for the great work Doug!

Jim

A Shade Too Dark
by: Anonymous

Seems that my small back lawn, which is surrounded by a preserve of tall pines, might be more attractive as a shade garden with mulch. The sun is rather limited in this zone 9 yard and I'd like it to be somewhat self-sustaining year round. Okay, I'm asking for a lot here, but reseeding each season is getting to me and I'm looking for alternatives.

vines
by: Heather B.

Doug,
What kind of vines can I grow in the shade? Specifically flowering vines. Also, are there any shade-loving vines that won't ruin my siding if I grow them next to my house? Thanks!

Helleborus
by: Nancy

Doug: What do I do with Helleborus when the leaves get dark and droop. They make a great shade plant and are so wonderful in winter, but do I cut them back, feed them, what after blooming?

Colour
by: Fate

Thank you, Doug, for this great topic.
My shade is quite airy as it is just in the shade of the wooden fence.
I so want colour there and most of the shade plants seem to lack this. Hope you have some bright answers - sorry for the pun.
Thanks again
Fate

Mold/mildew
by: Mary

My back yard is in "dappled shade". Hostas, hydrangeas, begonias, impatiens all do beautifully. However, I cannot seem to overcome the mold/mildew problem. I only water when the leaves on the hydrangeas begin to droop and then sparingly. However, it is still a constant battle to keep the mold/mildew off the side of the garage. Any suggestions?

degrees of shade
by: zone 5/6 NC mtns.

Shady beds have differing light levels. Deep shade cast by the house is different from the mottled shade cast by trees. Plant labels, etc., usually say "shade".
Trial and error hurts my aching joints and mental processes (I "feel" for my plants!)
Doug, where do we get more info.?

plant variety
by: Anonymous

QUORUM I would like to learn more about plant variety in a shade garden, besides ferns & hostas, for year around interest. My garden is getting more shade as the trees mature. Also if you have information on caring for evergreen trees, it would be appreciated.
Thank you for your hard work. It is appreciated

Watering and planting success
by: John

Two things come to mind regarding shade gardens. First, I think I am going to have to change from an over head sprinkler watering system to a soaker hose approach for watering. Powdery Midlew is much worse of a problem in my shade garden than where the plants have ample sun and breezes. Also, as others have comented, it is difficult to get sufficient water to the desired plant roots systems. The soaker hose approach will require a significant amount of hose.

The other thing I would like to see is advice on improving the survivability of shade loving plants. I do not know why but I have a much higher plant loss in my shade garden than in any of the partial or sun environment gardens. Establishing plants and getting them to full maturity seems much trickier than sun gardens.

Dry Shade
by: Anonymous

I find the biggest challenge in shade gardening is competition for water. The source of the shade - trees - prevent the rain from hitting the ground and suck up what little gets through. Funny, the "volunteers" ie. weeds, always seem to manage to survive. In my case, a combination of Cedar and Douglas Fir have usurped a good chunk of the front yard and I have yet to find anything to compete with them.

Shade Gardening
by: Marie

Soil conditions under trees and shrubs are a problem. The area is often full of fine and large roots. I've amended the soil with compost and mulch. What else can I do to make the soil better for growing plants?

When a half shade garden becomes shady
by: Jane

Five years ago my garden got about 6 hours of combined late morning and afternoon sun.

A large evergreen and two small maples have now made this garden into one that is shaded till about 2 pm.

I know I can move the plants to a sunnier spot and buy more shade tolerant ones for this spot. But I am running out of room, energy and money so do you think I could trim the trees?

If so what would be my approach? With the maples could I remove some limbs here and there to let more light through?

And how does one trim an evergreen to let in more light while maintining a pleasing shape for the tree?

Any other suggestions would be much appreciated too.

Woodland Planting
by: todlake

I would love to enhance the woods that edge my property. But overall it is pretty dry. I also have a current shade bed, planted under a small grove of Shagbark Hickory trees. I amended the soil with compost and dry leaves from last fall. I added Pine nuggets for mulch. Can I do anything else to help water retention?

shade gardening
by: Anonymous

I think the most important thing in a shade garden at least that makes it different from a full sun garden is the kind of plants you can grow. I know foliage is nice but I know there are sevral flowers that do well in shade. coulmbine, bleeding heart, coral bells, jack in the pulpit (I think I spelled that one wrong) just to name a few. I'd like to know how to grow the induvidual plants that take to shade with maybe more of an emphsis on flowers since a lot of classes on shade gardening tend to kind of sip over that topic.

The second thing I'd like to hear about is types of shade you know dappeled shade dence shade light shade building shade and tree shade. what are they really and how do they affect which plants I can grow.

dry soil
by: Betty Jane

My shade plants only do well if I water constantly. Trees seem to suck up all the available water. Mulching doesn't seem to help much.

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Doug Green