Neat trick using that google isnt it :)

Is it possible just to remulch the roots and if the mulch turns back to soil so be it?

I am soo worried by adding soil level to trees that have acclimated themselves to something over a decade. Did the mulch wash away all at once or is it just too much of a hill?

need a picture to understand the situation.. your words.. fail me ...

the most basic question will be.. how will you apply water.. to new transplants.. on a hill ... with that distance to cover ... nothing is going to survive under mature trees.. w/o copious watering ....

one might suggest your only option is to plant.. and then mulch again..

ken

A word of warning about planting on a slope. We lost a newly planted tree last year because of water issues.

We moved into the 3year old house in August last year and planted several bushes and trees in the fall. This tree was planted on a slope that was part of the area cut away for the road.

Thinking slope means it will need regular watering because it would dry quickly, we water religiously. What we did not understand that there were several small seams in the ground that drained the hill above us and as a results of the road cut now came to the surface on the slope.

The net results were the tree ended up being over watered and died. The natural water oozing from the ground draining the hill above watering the tree and our watering.

Toronado, yes I certainly could re mulch and I may end up doing that if I can't find a better solution. I guess I'm just looking for a more permanent solution. I'm not sure how fast it washed away, we just got the house last year and I didn't put anything under it. I don't think it's too much of a hill that it would wash away in just one storm.

Ken I wouldn't be planting under the whole length of the driveway. Just under the dogwoods and between them where it's sort of shady. About 75 of those feet of length of the driveway are junipers which are in almost decent shape, the rest of it is in full sun that I need to figure out what to do with. I'll take a pic tomorrow if I can get out there before the snow. I'd be hand watering with a watering can. I wouldn't mind mulching after planting, since it would have something to hold it there

Knuttle I haven't thought about the fact that these trees might already get enough water... They very well may have enough. But the roots being so exposd just doesn't seem right at all. I'll take a pic. The trees are probably 25 years old that's when the lot was cut out of the farmland and the house was built and they bloomed nicely last year so seem to be in ok shape.

The usual method of planting groundcovers is to take a sharp trowel, stick it in the ground, pry up a seam, and shove the small groundcover roots in the seam. Step on it, and leave. Mulching the spaces between the groundcover plants isn't a bad idea, because otherwise the weeds will take over. But there isn't a lot of root disturbance to established plants, and there isn't a lot of topsoil needed. We've done a lot of vinca that way, and I wouldn't expect pachysandra to be much different.

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i would put a 3 foot mulch ring around it.. and be done with it ...

the type of mulch will make the difference as to whether it rolls away ... and try some aggressive ground covers.. but i fear failure with that many roots competing for moisture ...

might even consider just some fine pebbles.. and round up.. to keep it weed free ...

ken

From what I understand you can kill a tree by putting soil and groundcovers over exposed roots. There is a gas exchange issue.

Get an expert opinion about the mulch. That might be your only solution.