Nick Maclaren wrote:

: 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.

Thanks Nick.

I measured it more accurately when I went out watering the plants and it's
about 4 or 5 feet to the trees and 6 to a couple of peonies (paeonies?) and
a hebe. I had a feeling the roots didn't run far because I don't rememeber
every finding one when digging.

--
Steve