Need help from those with a green thumb for some plant suggestions.

[rubyluv2]

I believe I have what they call a "black thumb" lol

I live in Portland, OR between a 9a/8b climate zone our coop and run are behind our house, and since we live in the city our home blocks the sun in our backyard. I am looking for suggestions for some plants that like shade that can do well in our run (it's about 250-400 sqft ish)

I have been attempting to do some research, but it feels a bit overwhelming as I'm not great with plants!

I would love some suggestions or jumping off points, thank you so much in advance!

 

[townchicks]

Pretty much anything you plant in your run will be eaten or destroyed by the chickens in short order. Better to plant outside the run. Azaleas or rhododendron are shrubs that do well in the shade, impations provide annual color, ferns, hostas will provide greenery. If you really want something in the run, maybe a Japanese maple in a tub, with chicken wire over the dirt so they don't dig it out.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Hi Seattle! I'm similar (8a/8b) and wet. about 52" of rainfall yearly. NOTHING does well in the run - my birds make bare spots in acres.

However, if you plant outside the run and allow it to spread in, Oregano and Mint will both do reasonably well. Rosemary, position it so that about 30% of the plant will direct branches into the run. Yellow clover would be fine, except that it seems to need more sun (at least in my case). Fescues will take part sun reasonably well, and are deep rooting - again, start outside the run, allow it to go to seed and hope (probably not). Bermuda spreads via runners, but it isn't shade tolerant at all - best to avoid.

Inside the run, I'm going to suggest leaf litter or similar - lots of it - then allow the runners from your mint & oregano to work their way in w/ time. If you want green inside the run, plan on grazing trays and potted plants that you can rotate out as they are (quickly) destroyed.

[Edit] if you aren't familiar, grazing trays or grazing frames are essentially a raised bed (2x4 on edge or 2x6 on edge) with hardware cloth SECURELY fastened on top. Chickens can peck at green sprouts as they grow thru, but can't reach the soil to scratch, which is the way they rapidly destroy most green growing things. (picture stolen off the Internet)

[end Edit]

 

[ChaosMom]

I’m planning to attach coco fiber wall planters to the 2x4’s inside the coop, 4 or 5 feet up, and plant trailing nasturtiums. I know they’ll keep them well-trimmed down below; we’ll see if they fly up to the actual planters.

I’m thinking of adding narrow raised sprout beds along the inside of the perimeter with leftover hardware cloth on top. My brain refuses to supply the name of these planters now - hoping someone can help!

Otherwise, all plantings will be outside. I’ll toss spent blossoms in when I deadhead. Then annual vines up the outside HWC “walls.”

 

[Jimmy W]

I have 3/4 acre, the coop and run are wiped out of all vegetation, I do let them free range outside the coop/run when I am outside. They have damaged grassy areas near the house, and all beds they had access to, but not the plants in the beds. *Roses, Hosta's and Barberry. My beds are part shade and those plants do well. I also took into consideration the plant itself, as some are toxic to chickens believe it or not. One example of this is the Morning Glory, the seeds are toxic. I was just recently clearing the old growth and those seeds were falling to the ground during the process, the chicks were all around me in the area, scratchin it up and gobbling up god knows what, but I did witness this, they pecked the Morning Glory seeds, and dropped it out. Would not eat them. I guess they inherently know?

I would also think up in the Northwest,(You need at least 6 hours of sun) if you established Blueberry bushes, and maybe some blackberry vines, once established, they would be ok. I have a bunch of them and the chickens jump up and pick the berries, they have not yet disturbed the soil around the plants and I am not worried that they will as they have limited time outside and the area is not mulched. (They love to scratch mulched areas).

Wishing you the best, let us know how things work out!!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I’m planning to attach coco fiber wall planters to the 2x4’s inside the coop, 4 or 5 feet up, and plant trailing nasturtiums. I know they’ll keep them well-trimmed down below; we’ll see if they fly up to the actual planters.

I’m thinking of adding narrow raised sprout beds along the inside of the perimeter with leftover hardware cloth on top. My brain refuses to supply the name of these planters now - hoping someone can help!

Otherwise, all plantings will be outside. I’ll toss spent blossoms in when I deadhead. Then annual vines up the outside HWC “walls.”

Let us know how that goes - I've looked at doing the coco coir stuff a couple times, but always stopped short of actually buying.

 

[StinkyAcres]

I’m planning to attach coco fiber wall planters to the 2x4’s inside the coop, 4 or 5 feet up, and plant trailing nasturtiums. I know they’ll keep them well-trimmed down below; we’ll see if they fly up to the actual planters.

I’m thinking of adding narrow raised sprout beds along the inside of the perimeter with leftover hardware cloth on top. My brain refuses to supply the name of these planters now - hoping someone can help!

Otherwise, all plantings will be outside. I’ll toss spent blossoms in when I deadhead. Then annual vines up the outside HWC “walls.”

Great ideas! I might steal the nasturtium one! The planters are called grazing frames.

 

[ChaosMom]

Great ideas! I might steal the nasturtium one! The planters are called grazing frames.

Grazing frames, that’s it!

I’m guessing that you just continually reseed them as the sprouts get eaten, but that doesn’t sound like the toughest job ever.

As to the planters, I just wish nasturtiums weren’t so slow from seed. I might have to cough up money for transplants.

 

[StinkyAcres]

I’m guessing that you just continually reseed them as the sprouts get eaten, but that doesn’t sound like the toughest job ever.

The point of a grazing frame is to only let the chickens eat the tops off the sprouts so they keep growing. Most of the sprout should be below the hardware cloth. You don't have to reseed often if you plant perennials.

 

[Karen 35]

A suggestion which might save you a plant - put some type of ring around your plant not too high and fill it with medium to large size rock. Then you can put your wire up higher, however the roots will be protected because they aren't able to move them. I saw this work effectively on a Youtube video a year ago. They have several chickens that free ranged and this was how they kept many plants safe. I am doing that with collards, Boking #4 Comfrey, and hopefully some herbs. Hopefully this info will assist someone on here.