Is the problem using pressure treated lumber,or planting under pine trees?

[Sue Clotere]

We have built a large planter box under a Monteray Pine tree. We used pressure treated wood since we only are planting ornamentals, and not edible plants. We get partial sun and good drainage, but everything seems to die off after a time. Plants we have tried.Jasmine, Clemats,Azalias,Coreopsis,Lisianthus, Gardenia. The Hibiscus & Pelargonium seem to be the only ones still living. What will grow good under the pine tree? Or is the problem the pressure treated wood??? Charlie

[Phisherman]

I have English ivy growing under a pine tree. I suspect pachysandra or lily of the valley might work. Do you have enough water? The PT wood should not be a problem. A soil test is a good idea.

[Pam - gardengal]

Plantings underneath the canopy of any conifer are generally considered dry shade situations - shade because the canopy screens much of the sun and dry because the spreading root system of the pine is hogging available soil moisture as well as nutrients. And if the tree is large, the canopy will deflect much of the natural rainfall, too. The plants you have chosen are not those which thrive under these conditions. Give us a clue as to your location and we can make some suggestions for more suitable plantings.

And I hope the large wooden planter is not too close to the pine nor too large. Raising the soil level, as in a surrounding planter, around an established tree is asking for trouble. Even a couple of inches over the root zone can smother the feeder roots, resulting in the tree's untimely demise.

pam - gardengal

[dr-solo]

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[theoneflasehaddock]

Please don't do that under a tree. The tree will grow new roots closer to the surface because of lack of oxygen, and will end up with a shallower root system, making it more susceptible to high winds.

Putting lots of stones around the base of a tree has a similar effect.

At the very least, don't do it near your house. Especially if where you live occasionally has high winds.

-

theoneflasehaddock

[Jim Carlock]

And just some warnings about some pressure treated wood...

Be careful with pressure treated wood. Make sure it is labeled as not being treated with CCA. CCA contains arsenic whereby humidifying the wood could realease toxic arsonic gas.

I don't know much about it... just passing along some info I've been reading about CCA wood. I don't know how to test it, but I found a bunch of information by doing a search for:

CCA arsenic

The news stations here in Florida recently broadcast some news about how Home Depot and Lowes are both selling CCA treated mulch (red mulch) and are both refusing to label the products as containing arsenic poisoning. The government has allowed them to continue selling the product as is.

This first link has a lot of information, just CTRL+F to find CCA on the page:

other link is an article published in the St. Pete. Times in March of 2001 about pressure treated (CCA-treated) playsets that are being sold across the country for children to play on:

symptoms of arsenic poisoning when you play around with arsenic treated mulch, include numbness in the hands and toes, or numbness in the limb that touches the poisonous wood, and possibly nausea (I think this might be one of the symptoms if it's inhaled, but I don't know).