In article ,
"Steve Turner" writes:
| Ed wrote:
|
| : Yes, privet is notoriously well known for starving the soil of
| : moisture and nutrients. It's no wonder plants near it are struggling.
|
| How near is "near"? I have a privet hedge on the other side of my fence.
| It's quite thick and about 9 feet tall, though only the top 4 or 5 feet is
| green, very thick and woody below that. The hedge is north of the fence and
| I have some young trees on the south side of the fence - about 3 feet away
| from the hedge.

For small plants trying to establish during a hot, dry spell, it can
easily be 6' from a hedge like that. Moderately established trees and
most larger shrubs can fight privet and win. Privet is very shallow
rooted - and its roots don't run all that far, either - but, where
they do, they dessicate the soil.

I can't help you much, except to say that your problems with it will
be over once those trees get established.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.