Planting ivy near cedar trees

Will planting ivy cause problems for my cedar trees?

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**FULL QUESTION** Dear *Gardening Life*, Is it okay to plant ivy near my newly planted cedar trees? Or will it kill the trees? *—Karen Gerard*

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**FULL ANSWER** Karen, You can plant ivy near cedars as a ground cover but you will have to watch that it doesn’t start climbing up them. If it does, it can shade them out causing brown patches, and could eventually smother them. In many areas of Canada, ivy has escaped into the wild and is taking over woodlands. I suggest using other ground covers such as ferns (if it’s shady), sedums (if it’s sunny), barren strawberry (*Waldsteinia*), *Epimedium*, sweet woodruff (*Galium odoratum*) or *Lamium*. Keep in mind that cedars suck a lot of moisture and nutrients out of the soil so regular watering and mulching will benefit both hedge and ground cover. A soaker hose winding through the planting works a treat, I find. Hope that helps! *—Karen York, Botanical Editor* Other questions recently answered by the GL team: Buying exotic plants in Toronto Preventing brown leaf spot Information on peony-flowered poppies Tips for growing tulips and lilies When to move irises Maintaining blue spruces The best way to grow gunneras Getting rid of sawfly larvae on roses Eliminating earwigs from clematis flowers Beetle damage to spruce trees Removing whiteflies from hibiscus leaves Building a cactus garden Maintaining redbud trees Maintaining Boston ivy growth Using black walnut leaves for mulch Stopping powdery mildew on maples Planting trees near a swale Growing on a septic field How to battle weeds between flagstone and alternative options Mysterious orange powder on the lawn What to do with end-of-season potatoes on the vine How to control Japanese knotweed What to grow in a dry area The proper way to plant astrantia What is the star flower and how do I manage it? How do I eliminate my ant problem? Preventing red beetles from attacking lilies Vine types to grow on a new pergola Maintaining purple fountain grass Keeping bougainvilllea healthy throughout the winer How to rid invasive green goutweed Good garden uses for fireplace ashes Growing grape hyacinth indoors The best way to convert a lawn into a meadow The proper way to grow rhododendrons Eliminating beetle damage to spruce trees Annual resembling Japanese maple

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