Subject: help with vinca minor/myrtle/periwinkle

From: [email-masked] (G Daniel)
Date: 1 Apr 1995 08:31:23 -0500

About a year and a half ago, I planted 100 myrtle plants in a shady, bare
area under some hickory trees. So far they have followed the rule, "First
year sleep, second year creep, third year leap"...they are creeping along
quite well. But there are some sparse patches of grass in this same area
which brings me to my question: Should I try to remove the grass to give
the myrtle a fighting chance, or will the myrtle take over anyway? If I do
remove the grass, what would be the preferred method? Laborious hand
weeding, Ortho "Grass-B-Gone", or some other means? If I leave the grass
there, my husband will probably try to weed-whack it (I've lost more
plants to his weed-whacker than I can count); will the whacking treatment
hurt it or encourage it to branch and thicken up? So many
questions...Someone please help!
Thanks in advance
G Daniel

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From: [email-masked] (bob)
Date: 3 Apr 1995 02:57:26 GMT

>questions...Someone please help!

I have the same problem.  I have tried removing the grass with a small 
hand shovel and this has not been successful.  My son does the same as 
your husband, whacks the top off and I think it encourages grass growth.
I used weed-be-gone when I planted some, but I think the wind brings 
seeds of all kind.  I am anxious to see if anyone has a solution for 
this problem.  

Patty

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From: [email-masked] (Jerry Heverly)
Date: 2 Apr 1995 22:51:16 -0700

bob ([email-masked]) wrote:
: In <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (G Daniel) writes: 

: >
: >About a year and a half ago, I planted 100 myrtle plants in a shady, 
: bare
: >area under some hickory trees. So far they have followed the rule, 
: "First
: >year sleep, second year creep, third year leap"...they are creeping 
: along
: >quite well. But there are some sparse patches of grass in this same 
: area
: >which brings me to my question: Should I try to remove the grass to 
: give
: >the myrtle a fighting chance, or will the myrtle take over anyway? If I 
: do
: >remove the grass, what would be the preferred method? Laborious hand
: >weeding, Ortho "Grass-B-Gone", or some other means? If I leave the 
: grass
	There's an interesting horticultural phenomenon called 
allelopathy("One plant {secretes} a growth inhibitory or stimulatory 
substance into its environment which is absorbed by another, sensitive 
species. Such substances may enter the environment as secretions and 
leachates from roots and leaves of living plants and as leachates of 
dead, decaying vegetation."*Weed Science Principles* by Wood, Powell, 
Anderson).
	The classic example is the effect of leachates from the roots of 
cool season grasses(bluegrass, ryegrass, fescue, et.al.) on tree growth.  
Any grass growing with the rootzone of a tree will slow down the growth 
of the tree because substances secreted by the grass roots poison tree 
roots.  You can often observe this in new developments where some trees 
of a species are in lawns while others are in bare ground or 
groundcovers.  The latter will generally grow lots faster than the former.
	The usual way to get rid of the grass is glyphosate(Roundup, 
Kleenup, et.al.) or a selective grass killer(Poast, Fusilade, et. al.).  
Jerry Heverly, Instr. of hort, Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill, CA
-- 

Jerry Heverly, Oakland, CA

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From: [email-masked] (Christine Owens)
Date: 4 Apr 1995 02:47:22 GMT

>questions...Someone please help!

Well, I would hand-weed.  I am not fond of poisons, and have banned
weed whackers from the premises.  Give the myrtle the best chance
you can, and a clear field to grow in.

Chris Owens

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From: [email-masked] (bob)
Date: 3 Apr 1995 02:57:26 GMT

Patty

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From: [email-masked] (Jerry Heverly)
Date: 2 Apr 1995 22:51:16 -0700

: >

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From: [email-masked] (Christine Owens)
Date: 4 Apr 1995 02:47:22 GMT

Chris Owens

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From: [email-masked] (Christine Owens)
Date: 4 Apr 1995 02:47:22 GMT

Chris Owens