Question about trees

[bwdlionfan]

Anyone have any experience with Royal Empress trees or Hybrid Poplars? I'm looking for fast growing trees to plant at a house I'm in the process of buying.

[bwdlionfan]

Or does anyone have one they suggest that grows fast?

[Trashman]

Box Elder, grows fast, provides excellent shade. It does have draw backs; it provides so much shade that no grass will grow directly under it. Box Elders produce so many leaves raking them in the fall can be a chore.

[bwdlionfan]

That's another thing... I want a tree that will allow bermuda grass to keep growing under it... and st. Augustine if i decide to plant it one day

[Rabid Cougar]

Bermuda will not grow well under most trees. St. Augustine likes 50% or more sunlight. Pecans will allow enough sunlight for either. Anything that tries to shade its roots , oaks for example most grasses do not grow well under them

[SintonFan]

I've always liked FanTex Ash trees. Fast growing with tons of shade but many leaves to rake up just before the first big cold front comes. Roots can be a problem if septic lines are close.
.
Tall Fescue or Zoysia is great for lawns that are mainly shaded. New varieties of Bermuda are very tolerant to shade. Bermuda IS drought tolerant(we are going into a rainy period now though over the next two years) but grows very very fast with proper watering.
Tiff is a great lawn but I prefer Fescue or Zoysia because of the slow growth rate.

[Ranger Mom]

I have 2 hybrid poplars in my front yard! They grew VERY tall VERY fast!

The only downside to them is they are the last to get their leaves in the summer and the first to lose them in the fall.

They also tend to shoot out little runners everywhere.

I didn't know anything about them when I planted these, or I would have put a drip system on them.

They have roots all in my flower bed and several "trees" coming off those roots with no root system of their own.

That's okay though because I learned how to take cuttings from those off-shoot trees to make more trees.

I haven't planted anymore in my yard yet, but my brother has about 20 poplars in his yard that came from the cuttings from my trees.

Also bought a TexFanAsh this summer and planted it in the back yard. It has probably grown 2 feet in the past month...can't wait to see how it progresses.

[Pick6]

Originally posted by Rabid Cougar
Bermuda will not grow well under most trees. St. Augustine likes 50% or more sunlight. Pecans will allow enough sunlight for either. Anything that tries to shade its roots , oaks for example most grasses do not grow well under them


Actually St Augustine only needs filtered sunlight to grow.

There is a new bermuda grass coming out that will grow in the shade. Once I remember the name I'll get it for you.

[Bone Pile]

Originally posted by Pick6
Actually St Augustine only needs filtered sunlight to grow.

There is a new bermuda grass coming out that will grow in the shade. Once I remember the name I'll get it for you.

Celebration bermuda needs only 5 hrs. of direct light. Grimes Grass grows it.

[jason]

what is the best way to get grass growing on dirt that is under a tree??

my new backyard has a dirt area that the previous owners let dogs tear up - would like to get grass there asap...

does planting seed actually work or should you just lay sod?

[SintonFan]

Originally posted by jason
what is the best way to get grass growing on dirt that is under a tree??

my new backyard has a dirt area that the previous owners let dogs tear up - would like to get grass there asap...

does planting seed actually work or should you just lay sod?
.
Put a layer of compost or topsoil on that area. Seeding works but requires daily watering for the first 4-8 weeks. It's a little late in the year to seed now though. Sod might be your best bet.

[Pick6]

Originally posted by jason

does planting seed actually work or should you just lay sod?

Depends on what type of grass you want. If you want Fescue, wait another month and plant seed. If you want anything else, get sod and water, water and water some more for the 1st 10 days to 2 weeks.

[SintonFan]

Originally posted by Pick6
Depends on what type of grass you want. If you want Fescue, wait another month and plant seed. If you want anything else, get sod and water, water and water some more for the 1st 10 days to 2 weeks.
.
I seeded fescue this year and have the darkest deepest greens on the block. I have had to fight this drought like crazy though.

[jason]

need to get a bag of the bermuda seed we have at our golf course and just put a fairway in my front and backyard....

[Pick6]

Originally posted by SintonFan
.
I seeded fescue this year and have the darkest deepest greens on the block. I have had to fight this drought like crazy though.

Yea, fescue requires more water than St Augustine. Come winter it will still be green.

[Pick6]

Originally posted by jason
need to get a bag of the bermuda seed we have at our golf course and just put a fairway in my front and backyard....

I've probably got the sod that your GC uses. Find out what kind it is and I'll check.

[SintonFan]

Originally posted by Pick6
Yea, fescue requires more water than St Augustine. Come winter it will still be green.
.
Yes, it's a deep emerald green all year. Good stuff.:cool:

[Farmersfan]

Another very fast growing tree is Chinese Tallow. but it's pretty invasive. You will have to cut down runners a lot but it can grow 5 to 8 feet a year. Great shade tree though.


http://www.galvbayinvasives.org/Guide/Species/TriadicaSebifera

[SintonFan]

Originally posted by Farmersfan
Another very fast growing tree is Chinese Tallow. but it's pretty invasive. You will have to cut down runners a lot but it can grow 5 to 8 feet a year. Great shade tree though.


http://www.galvbayinvasives.org/Guide/Species/TriadicaSebifera
.
Chinese Tallows are crappy trees. You would be lucky to have one last 20-25 years. They do grow quick but are very weak wooded.

[bwdlionfan]

What about tulip poplars?