"VivienB" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 05 May 2004 21:15:25 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:

On Tue, 04 May 2004 16:55:11 +0100, VivienB
wrote:

We have to keep lime-hating plants in containers here. We have a
Pieris which has had a spell of minimal attention, which is now
looking very leggy. It is about 3 to 4 feet high and wide and in a
large plastic pot. Is it a practical proposition to rejuvenate it by
pruning and feeding, or is it unlikely to respond?

There is already much more that needs doing in this garden to try to
get/keep order than I can comfortably cope with, so if it is not a
good bet, I shall clear it away and get another.

Regards, VivienB

Prune, and feed with ericaceous fertiliser? Replace the top inch or
two of soil with ericaceous compost? Re-pot into a larger pot or a tub
and use ericaceous compost?

*Any* of those. Is there any chance any of those will work?
It seems from BAC's post that pruning is not likely to kill it, but
will it end up such an odd shape I shall wish I hadn't bothered? Or
does it come back proper Pieris shape?


'My' pieris survived an involuntary pruning, as described previously. I
don't think there's much general advice about pruning pieris, because, like
most evergreen shrubs, they generally only need occasional attention like
removal of weak or dead wood. I've never done it to a pieris, but if the
bush were too big, I'd try cutting it back hard, almost to the ground, in
spring, and give it a chance to re-grow. However, as they don't cost the
earth, you might prefer to simply replace it. The important things about
pieris, IMO, is they need a damp location and an acid soil, so planting spot
selection and preparation is vital. If you're on a lime rich soil, forget
it, or try a tub, but you'll have to remember to water it! HTH