Well the dirt there is dry and powdery. The plant was only in a quart pot when I planted it and it didn't have much roots. It has been in the 90s here for a couple weeks with no rain. So I just assume it needs watered pretty much everyday with not having a good root structure yet. I read through a little of that, it is pretty meaty reading. Seems like some say so and some say not... like usual-clear as mud, ha ha. I took from that over all that the hemlock produces some sort of chemical that prevents other hemlocks from thriving around it. Any seeds that germinate die around the original tree. I was unclear on other vegetation growing around the hemlock-different opinions on that maybe. I'm not sure what to think, now the other rhodie planted about 8 ft away is looking puny too. I did plant some hosta there and some look ok and others look puny. Maybe the tree is just sapping too much moisture out of the area. I just don't know what to think except that this is the only shade in my yard really! and the hemlock is beautiful.
