Hey nolawns! I am coming here asking for a lot of help. I posted this on lawns and as everyone noted with the maple tree roots and overall lack of good soil it was going to be tough to go down that route. We had planned on having some grass but then hopefully a lot of native species growing. We are in Silver Spring MD and any and all help would be appreciated. Also we get very limited sun, which is probably evident, and have 2 dogs.
Thanks!
by Sweaty_Fly_3965
6 Comments
[deleted]
Your county extension office would be a good resource to reach out to! They can recommend native species that would do well with your soil and lighting conditions.
Other than that, I’d recommended mulching your backyard pretty heavily. Leaves and wood chips will breakdown overtime into the soil and help improve its health and quality for growing plants. Look up the Ruth Stout method of gardening.
The soil looks very compacted. You will need to bring in some mulch or compost to start rebuilding it. Let the leaves from the trees stay where they fall.
There’s not really a good ground cover that will stand up to full shade and dogs running around on it.
Beautiful already
I had a similar problem where my dogs would run. It was extremely compacted and nothing could grow on it. Every time it rained it was a muddy mess. It’s a nightmare trying to wash the feet of 100-150lb dogs every time they go outside.
I ended up ordering a bunch of ‘free’ arborist chips/mulch from chip drop and laid it about 8-12” deep. It broke down fairly fast and after a year I needed to add more mulch in the high traffic areas.
It’s now very nice loam. My natives run along my fence and this area is still just a dog lane, but my native wild strawberries are trying hard to take it over. I grew really nice vegetables in it the last couple years without adding anything to the soil. If I neglect to add more in the worst spot right off the deck steps that still holds a bit of water, I no longer get mud in the house. Just wet dog prints.
Absolute first step is to cut the ivy on the trees. Get rid of the ivy. It’s a favorite hiding place for rodents and snakes. Invasive species. As for planting, I think you’d have the greatest success with native woodland understory shrubs–azaleas, rhododendrons, and such. I have dog that’s a menace to wildlife, so I build a cage for everything I plant. Rolled wire fencing and U posts. You’ll probably want to invest in a broadfork for planting. That soil looks pretty compacted, and there are lots of roots. You might want to consider a chip drop, too.
I went zero lawn a couple years ago. It’s definitely more work than maintaining turf lawn. But grass is an ecological wasteland. Requires too much water, too many chemicals. Your new yard has incredible potential. Lean into the woodland garden vibe, and you’ll be rewarded with birds, bees, and butterflies.