Trees, Shrubs and Conifers: Root competition - hosta and Cornus florida, 1 by alyrics

alyrics wrote:
Am I all wet? I thought anthracnose stayed in the soil?

This location is difficult for the tree - inside of a sidewalk up against the house. The tree has been in place 10 yrs since an addition was put on. Former owner did not believe in amending soil but instead making plants live in the native circumstances. Thus, my county agent laughingly tells me, I am living on top of a granite rock bed covered with what they call Mahoning Clay, the densest clay in the region. It lines the Great Lakes, is blue, smells from being anaerobic, holds water till its dry, then you can't break it with a pick-axe. But I note that a lot of plants here make surface roots rather than going deep unless I amend or raise the beds. Last summer this tree definitely had something going on - and from photos anyway it looked exactly like anthracnose. That bed holds water and with all the shrubs and trees in it there isn't much I can do. I mulched one year and all I got was more slugs and more dampness. This pic shows the dogwood inside the sidwalk on the curve.

But - to your interest - hee hee, sure you can have some hosta. I have to spray it to keep the durn deer off.