We have found Mitchella to be a good groundcover in NY and NJ, but it
terribly slow to establish. The establishment period is sensitive to
excessive leaf cover in the fall - leaves to be kept off. The stalling of
establishment you describe seems normal as does the dieback after the first
year. I would say to keep at it.
--
Mike LaMana, MS
Heartwood Consulting Services, LLC
Toms River, NJ
www.HeartwoodConsulting.net



"Rachel" wrote in message
link.net...
I had heard that partridgeberry was "slow-growing", but this is
ridiculous.
In zone 6b, on the Blue Ridge, I put in a dozen plants a year ago. The
soil
is typical woodland, acidic (from the oaks) clay. The plants were tiny
when
received from a reputable supplier. All last summer, they seemed OK, added
an inch or two, grew a few new leaves. Now, after a cold winter, only half
of them are still alive, and those seem to have fewer leaves than last
year.
I can see this is never going to be a "ground cover", but does anybody
know
what I can do to keep these plants alive and encourage them?