Don’t give up and create a volcano of mulch around your trees. It is possible to plant under a tree if you choose wisely and start small. Follow these 10 tips to get plants established and happy growing under your trees.. Also, avoid damaging the bark at the base of the tree. Any injury is an invitation for disease and pests to find their way inside the tree. The main concern is that you want seedlings with small root balls, so you can squeeze them in without digging too wide or deep. This will mean a lot of water at first, but the small plants will adapt more easily to their cramped quarters than a large plant would, and you won’t hurt your tree in the process of planting. Consider including some fast-spreading groundcovers for a quick cover, but use caution with this. Plants such as pachysandra, ivy, and ribbon grass (Phalaris arundinacea) will take over the entire yard. Plant such as Ginger (Asarum), columbine (Aquilegia), and bleeding heart (Dicentra) are better choices. Reapply the mulch each year in early spring, before the plants have a chance to leaf out. Just be careful not to bury the plants under it. To successfully plant under a large tree requires a bit of effort up front. But once your plants have adapted to these conditions, the garden will get better each year.
