What to plant outside around the coop. Shade being the first goal. Thanks!

[bgmathteach]

No, not mine. Wish they were.

My trellises are a hodepodge of t-posts, garden net, and random chunks of 2x4 wire.

Awww...functional, though! Must be the Yankee 'use everything, save everything as it might be useful' way that you got when living up here in MA! Unfortunately, much of my place is the same!

 

[3KillerBs]

Awww...functional, though! Must be the Yankee 'use everything, save everything as it might be useful' way that you got when living up here in MA! Unfortunately, much of my place is the same!

I'm an adopted redneck.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Much as I like the idea of highbush blueberries (truly, I have some planted myself!), there are three considerations to keep in mind.

First, they are moderately slow growing and sensative to damage until well established. You will have to protect them from your chickens at least the first year, likely the seond year.

Second, they don't fruit until the second year (and then barely), its often recommended that your remove the flowers before polination year two to encourage more growth, rather than fruit production.

Three, blueberries do best when you mix varieties within the same family. Cross pollination is key. While a few are self pollinating, they still do better if allowed to cross pollinate. In CT, you will want to choose northern highbush varieties with similar blooming periods. You may find this chart handy.

I can't make any specific cultivar recommends, mine are southern highbush needing much fewer chill hours, sorry.

/edit of, and while they don't get big down here, if I recall correctly from eating hatfuls at the top of a mountain in NC or TN, the northern blueberry bushes eventually get quite large - so keep that in mind when planting them. (How quickly??? No clue)

 

[Folly's place]

Blueberry shrubs need acid soil, and only will do well in those conditions. Wonderful, otherwise!
Mary

 

[bgmathteach]

Blueberry shrubs need acid soil, and only will do well in those conditions. Wonderful, otherwise!
Mary

Will be plenty of acid soil from the chooks with a year or so of their composted manure.

Much as I like the idea of highbush blueberries (truly, I have some planted myself!), there are three considerations to keep in mind.

Great resource on Blueberries, @U_Stormcrow !

You can get blueberry bushes of nearly any size, from the tiny 'top hat' on up. Yes, with almost any shrub, it will take a couple of years for it to flourish and fruit...even longer for trees. But, since these are going outside the run, it should be easy enough to protect them until they get established. Many fruit trees and shrubs (though not all) do better with another variety for cross pollination. However, the native high bush blueberries don't need cross pollination, but you might want to plant 2blueberry bushes anyways - different varieties, that fruit slightly different time to extend the fruiting season by a couple of weeks. True of any fruiting shrub...if you have the space, that is..two varieties...or 2 completely different species that fruit at different times - extend the harvest/fruiting season.

I have a chokecherry that I am going to plant in the 'extended run' this Fall. Unfortunately, it will be a few years before I can comment on how well I like it.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Do you free range your chickens at all? If so, try to stay with safe plants.


I agree with Killer3Bs, vining things will work nicely.

I planted tall peas by my run each year (4-5 feet tall). The pea plants are edible, so if they grew through the run wire, it gave them something to nibble on, plus I would snack on the peas when I went to care for the chicks . This would be great while you are waiting for something more substantial to grow. They can also be interplanted with nasturtiums and or marigolds as @Alaskan mentioned. (both also completely edible) Might also be able to get a harvest in in early spring before a deciduous tree fully leafs out once it is established.


Again, @3KillerBs is right on the money. Semi-Dwarf apples or pears, or even crab apples (not the ornamental ones, as they don't bear fruit, or it is tiny if they do). You could also plant a ChokeCherry. Depending on the particular variety, it is a shrub to small tree. It is native, and wildlife like it, too. If you free range, this could become a favorite roosting spot in addition to bearing 'treats' in the fall! If you don't want something quite as tall, then maybe highbush blueberries(native), or any kind of commercial variety of blueberries.

Below is a link to the Mass Wildlife's site for native shrubs for wildlife food. All should work for you in CT, too. Sort/search by soil type. Just beware of ones that have thorns or prickers (Hawthorn, for example) if you are going to plant it where that may become a 'pain'

https://www.mass.gov/guides/native-shrubs-for-plantings-as-wildlife-food

I don't know the orientation of your coop, so keep this in mind. If possible, a tallish shrub/shorter tree planted to the south-west of the coop/run would give best shade at the hottest time of the day.

A shorter shrub/bush or tall grasses like:

on the east/southeast would help with early morning sun.

A tall tree (I'm talking 20 or more feet tall) planted 8-10' (or more depending on the tree) to the South will help once it gets large. (May have to keep branches pruned so don't rub against run when it gets to intermediate stage.... but as gets large, outer branches will overhang run, and provide shade to the south, creating a slightly cooler micro-climate in the run area. Depending on the size of the tree when purchased & it's growth habit (i.e. fast versus slow), though, this could be a 8-10 year venture to get it to canopy size. Pay attention to tree shape when mature...you want to buy something that is more open/umbrella shaped than pyramidal shaped when mature.

I know you didn't ask this, but you might want to plant an evergreen to the North (or direction of prevailing wind) to provide a wind break in the winter when it is cold. That, combined with a deciduous planting to the South (South, south-west, South-east) would make for 4 seasons of more comfortable living

I would look over your options, make a plan, and then slowly add plants over time as you can manage (it can be a HUGE task trying to do it all at once if you are going to go whole hog with landscaping around the coop/run) Anything you do will be better, and your chooks will appreciate it.

Hope this helps!

bgmathteach, how cool are you!! Thank you for your time on this topic. I love the idea of establishing a micro climate. In the spring i will certainly plant some tall vining beans. My grandmothers neighbors have very tall ones and I decided today looking at them that i want to grow them so the girls and I can enjoy them. I’ll reference that soil link now. Heres a pic of my coop. Fortunately we live in a valley with tall mountains to the left of the coop so the sun sets somewhat early here. i’m not sure how beans would do, but I’ll try. The sun barrels in on the entire side I am taking the picture from. The entire length of the far side wall of the run stays in the shade which was good this first summer season. They had a place to always be out of the sun, but the coop/run definitely needs some plants/shrubs/trees…… something! Soil is definitely healthy for the land, and I’m so curious to check that soil link. Thanks again. I gotta reference this thread again and again. I would love to grow blueberries!! Thanks again for your time.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Awww...functional, though! Must be the Yankee 'use everything, save everything as it might be useful' way that you got when living up here in MA! Unfortunately, much of my place is the same!

Exactly!!!

 

[bgmathteach]

bgmathteach, how cool are you!! Thank you for your time on this topic. I love the idea of establishing a micro climate. In the spring i will certainly plant some tall vining beans. My grandmothers neighbors have very tall ones and I decided today looking at them that i want to grow them so the girls and I can enjoy them. I’ll reference that soil link now. Heres a pic of my coop. Fortunately we live in a valley with tall mountains to the left of the coop so the sun sets somewhat early here. i’m not sure how beans would do, but I’ll try. The sun barrels in on the entire side I am taking the picture from. The entire length of the far side wall of the run stays in the shade which was good this first summer season. They had a place to always be out of the sun, but the coop/run definitely needs some plants/shrubs/trees…… something! Soil is definitely healthy for the land, and I’m so curious to check that soil link. Thanks again. I gotta reference this thread again and again. I would love to grow blueberries!! Thanks again for your time.

If there isn't enough sun for beans, and you decide to plant a shrub or tree....hostas and daylilies are edible and tolerate shade, so can be under planted beneath tree/shrub. If you get the older varieties (i.e. non-deer resistant ones), and you let the chickens out, they may enjoy 'sampling' the hostas. ( should be fine once hostas are established) Both are perennials, too

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

If there isn't enough sun for beans, and you decide to plant a shrub or tree....hostas and daylilies are edible and tolerate shade, so can be under planted beneath tree/shrub. If you get the older varieties (i.e. non-deer resistant ones), and you let the chickens out, they may enjoy 'sampling' the hostas. ( should be fine once hostas are established) Both are perennials, too

Very cool, thanks!

 

[saysfaa]

Do you have a plan to protect these plants from the deer? I have enough deer pressure, I would go with a deer fence around landscaping around the coop, ideally. More realistically, I would try pawpaws or a fencing tube around apple trees until they are big enough.