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?

Here in Ohio I have had hostas under a birch tree for over 10 years,
both are still healthy.

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math


"Lesley" wrote in message
om...
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?

Is there something in the drinking water where you live?

That is one of the dumbest things said here and that's saying a lot!
Hostas don't kill trees.

You tree dies of some disease not the company of Hostas.


Lesley wrote in message
om...
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?

If they were any type of white barked birch, they are very succeptile to phloem
boring insects that can kill the trees very quickly. On the other hand, if the
hostas were of the dreaded marphistes variety.....

Toad

(Lesley) wrote in message . 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?

Apparently your hostas are possessed. You'll have to do an exorcism,
or try to get the birch trees possessed. If you choose the second
method, dance around them skyclad chanting "IO pan, shrub-niggurath,
spam, the hamburgler, nipples, banana" while spanking a male duck.

(Lesley) wrote in message . 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?

Yes I have heard of this type of thing before. Ignorant people link
non-related events all the time in an attempt to explain what they do
not understand.

-Maka

(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.