In article , "Bob Muir"
wrote:

In the PNW, just South of Tacoma, I'm planting a Wintergreen Barberry hedge
about 8ft away from large mature fir trees. The soil is fairly fertile with
lots of worms, but I'm concerned that the trees may not be leaving enough
nutrients for the new hedge.

Should I just plant, mulch and be done with it, or should I add anything to
the soil to offset the trees? If I add, would that just make it worse
because the trees would start encroaching on the hedge's space for the sweet
nutrients I added?

Thanks,
Bob

Nasty thorny Wintergreen Barberry is so hardy I can't imagine you having
any problem with it. The trees aren't going to ruin the soil for them,
though might dry out the soil a lot in summer, so will need regular
watering for two years until its own roots are extensive enough to compete
for moisture. Soil can be kept up to snuff with a thin late autumn
topcoating of fine leaflitter, leafmold, or steer manure which also keeps
weeds from popping up too greatly the following spring. I don't often or
greatly fertilize woody shrubs & trees, but a slow release evergreen
fertilizer to start spring wouldn't be out of order, though I think soils
pretty much take care of themselves if veggies or fruits or grass
clippings or leaf-fall aren't being carted away nutrients & all. Since
you've noticed you have lots of worms, I'd say the odds are great that
your soil is just dandy.

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/