How to Plant Flowers Around a Tree

Highlight your yard by planting flowers around your trees. It's easy to add a blanket of color and texture around your trees if you choose the right flowers. If you don't choose the right flowers, the flowers might not flourish or the trees might weaken because the flowers take the nutrition the tree was used to taking. Once you plant the right flowers, you will never again want to leave a tree undressed.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Flower seeds and bulbs, annuals
• Small spade shovel
• Compost
• Mulch
• Sprinkler system

Plant Flowers Around a Tree

1. Purchase seeds and bulbs that are small annuals. These will die back each year and not be so hard on the tree. Look for flowers that can be grown in partial to full shade and are drought resistant. They will not take as much water away from the tree and cause it to weaken or even die.

2. Dig at least a foot away from the tree trunk and not more that about two inches deep. Most of these type flower seeds and bulbs can be planted right under the surface of the soil. Mix some compost in with the soil before filling over the seeds and bulbs to help both the flower garden and the tree to stay healthy.

3. Plant the seeds and bulbs and place the soil/compost mixture on top. Water well, but be careful not to wash the seeds away.

4. Mulch around the tree and then around the flowers as they start to come up. This will help retain the water and keep weeds from competing for nutrition with the flowers and trees.

5. Water deeply as the flowers root into the soil. Use a sprinkler system so the flowers get watered evenly and the tree gets enough water.

References

• Planting Flowers Around a Tree