GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

02-07-2003, 11:08 PM

(Lesley) wrote in news:d3f577df.0306281637.6cd59642
@posting.google.com:

Has anyone ever heard of hostas killing birch trees? I planted about
8 hostas under a Y shped birch tree(s) 2 springs ago. Last fall we
had to cut off one half of the Y, and now this spring the other half
has died. We live in New England if that helps. Anyone ever hear of
such a thing?

I've never heard of it, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's not
as whacked an idea as some people would lead you to believe. There are
plenty of plants that are toxic or at least inimical towards each other.
Black walnuts and grapes come to mind (- although that's second hand
information an my part). Also pines almost anything besides strawberries
(something in the needles is an inhibitor, or maybe it's just the acidity).
You can probably find more examples in books on companion planting or any
monograph on a specific rain forest plant.

- Salty

P.S. Yes I realize the situation presented and my examples are not exactly
analogous.