Whether a lone heritage tree hundreds of years old or a small seedling growing from an acorn planted by a scrub jay, oak woodlands define our Atascadero area. Other native plants, trees and bushes grow in and around these trees providing habitat for eagles and hawks, squirrels and voles, bears and deer, and all the other creatures that depend on the oak forest for food and shelter. People depend on the woodland also—for shade, for watershed protection, and for the sheer visual enjoyment or the pleasure a walk through this magnificent area can instill. Individual tree protection, such as placing buildings to avoid trees, is one way to help save the forest. Equally important is saving smaller trees and woodland areas to keep needed habitat for the forest creatures.
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Gardening under oaks can be achieved by carefully selecting plants, which need little or no summer water once established. Plant in fall so winter rains can help establish new growth. Don’t plant or disturb the soil within 10 feet of the trunk and be sure that irrigation drains away from the tree. If plants need water through the first summer, use an above ground drip irrigation system. There are many colorful and attractive flowering plants that do particularly well under oaks including Hummingbird sage, Douglas iris, Monkey flower, and Coral-bells. If paving is required, use a porous material, such as concrete pavers on sand or gravel.
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