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Old 19-05-2008, 11:56 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening
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Default Pieris

I have two pieris in pots - they were dug out of the garden a couple
of years ago when I realise they needed ericaceous compost and were
basically languishing sadly in my border, looking burned up and going
nowhere. They are now quite healthy and lush, but potbound. I could
of course put them into bigger pots. But within two years, I'd need
bigger pots again - and the pots they're in already are not exactly
tiny. Also, I find that if I go away at all during the summer, they
get terribly thirsty.
Would it be a viable option to dig a very large hole in my border,
much bigger than the current rootball, fill it with ericaceous compost
and plant my pieris therein? Would the ph of the surrounding soil
leach into the ericaceous one over time, and damage my pieris? Or
would I need to put some kind of barrier - heavy polythene, or such -
to avoid this? Has anyone done something like this to include pieris
into an otherwise unsuitable garden?
Your views and advice would be much appreciated.

Cat(h)
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Old 19-05-2008, 01:10 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
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On 19/5/08 10:56, in article
, "Cat(h)"
wrote:

I have two pieris in pots - they were dug out of the garden a couple
of years ago when I realise they needed ericaceous compost and were
basically languishing sadly in my border, looking burned up and going
nowhere. They are now quite healthy and lush, but potbound. I could
of course put them into bigger pots. But within two years, I'd need
bigger pots again - and the pots they're in already are not exactly
tiny. Also, I find that if I go away at all during the summer, they
get terribly thirsty.
Would it be a viable option to dig a very large hole in my border,
much bigger than the current rootball, fill it with ericaceous compost
and plant my pieris therein? Would the ph of the surrounding soil
leach into the ericaceous one over time, and damage my pieris? Or
would I need to put some kind of barrier - heavy polythene, or such -
to avoid this? Has anyone done something like this to include pieris
into an otherwise unsuitable garden?
Your views and advice would be much appreciated.

Cat(h)


I've never done it myself but I believe it's a well established way of
getting 'unsuitable' plants into the border and giving them the right start.
I don't know how well it works with larger plants. If you put in polythene,
I think that will just act as a water trap and drown the plants eventually.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'


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Old 19-05-2008, 04:31 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
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"Cat(h)" wrote in message
...
I have two pieris in pots - they were dug out of the garden a couple
of years ago when I realise they needed ericaceous compost and were
basically languishing sadly in my border, looking burned up and going
nowhere. They are now quite healthy and lush, but potbound. I could
of course put them into bigger pots. But within two years, I'd need
bigger pots again - and the pots they're in already are not exactly
tiny. Also, I find that if I go away at all during the summer, they
get terribly thirsty.
Would it be a viable option to dig a very large hole in my border,
much bigger than the current rootball, fill it with ericaceous compost
and plant my pieris therein? Would the ph of the surrounding soil
leach into the ericaceous one over time, and damage my pieris? Or
would I need to put some kind of barrier - heavy polythene, or such -
to avoid this? Has anyone done something like this to include pieris
into an otherwise unsuitable garden?
Your views and advice would be much appreciated.

Cat(h)


We bought one latish last year and planted it in very ordinary, dry, poor
even, soil between a brick wall and concrete edging - in the street. I
didn't use any special planting medium and it's given us a wonderful show
this spring. I didn't know it needed ericaceous surroundings.

The heather we bought at the same time is also thriving next to it ...

Mary


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Old 19-05-2008, 09:11 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
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"Cat(h)" wrote in message
...
I have two pieris in pots - they were dug out of the garden a couple
of years ago when I realise they needed ericaceous compost and were
basically languishing sadly in my border, looking burned up and going
nowhere. They are now quite healthy and lush, but potbound. I could
of course put them into bigger pots. But within two years, I'd need
bigger pots again - and the pots they're in already are not exactly
tiny. Also, I find that if I go away at all during the summer, they
get terribly thirsty.
Would it be a viable option to dig a very large hole in my border,
much bigger than the current rootball, fill it with ericaceous compost
and plant my pieris therein? Would the ph of the surrounding soil
leach into the ericaceous one over time, and damage my pieris? Or
would I need to put some kind of barrier - heavy polythene, or such -
to avoid this? Has anyone done something like this to include pieris
into an otherwise unsuitable garden?
Your views and advice would be much appreciated.

Cat(h)


Provide acidic soil (Ph6), shelter from early morning sun and cold
winds.

Best to use a simple soil tester and then, if necessary, apply CHEMPAK
SULPHUR Major Trace Element, which is an easy to scatter chip grade
sulphur that lowers the soil pH. It's box has excellent instructions.
The main purpose of this sulphur is to correct the soil acidity for
ericaceous plants.

Regards,
Emrys Davies.




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Old 19-05-2008, 11:02 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cat(h) View Post
I have two pieris in pots - they were dug out of the garden a couple
of years ago when I realise they needed ericaceous compost and were
basically languishing sadly in my border, looking burned up and going
nowhere. They are now quite healthy and lush, but potbound. I could
of course put them into bigger pots. But within two years, I'd need
bigger pots again - and the pots they're in already are not exactly
tiny. Also, I find that if I go away at all during the summer, they
get terribly thirsty.
Would it be a viable option to dig a very large hole in my border,
much bigger than the current rootball, fill it with ericaceous compost
and plant my pieris therein? Would the ph of the surrounding soil
leach into the ericaceous one over time, and damage my pieris? Or
would I need to put some kind of barrier - heavy polythene, or such -
to avoid this? Has anyone done something like this to include pieris
into an otherwise unsuitable garden?
Your views and advice would be much appreciated.

Cat(h)

We have a camellia that was planted in a Waitrose bag filled with ericaceous compost over 25 years ago. It is flourishing.

So long as the bag has holes for drainage, there is no reason why you can't do something similar. Top-dress annually with ericaceous compost, and water with sequestrene if the leaves start looking chlorotic.


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Old 20-05-2008, 09:32 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening
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"beccabunga" wrote in message
...


... water with sequestrene if the leaves start looking chlorotic.


er? Chlorotic??

Mary



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Old 20-05-2008, 09:47 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening
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On 20/5/08 08:32, in article ,
"Mary Fisher" wrote:


"beccabunga" wrote in message
...


... water with sequestrene if the leaves start looking chlorotic.


er? Chlorotic??

Mary



Yellowing.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'


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Old 20-05-2008, 06:44 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
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On May 19, 10:56*am, "Cat(h)" wrote:
I have two pieris in pots - they were dug out of the garden a couple
of years ago when I realise they needed ericaceous compost and were
basically languishing sadly in my border, looking burned up and going
nowhere. *They are now quite healthy and lush, but potbound. *I could
of course put them into bigger pots. *But within two years, I'd need
bigger pots again - and the pots they're in already are not exactly
tiny. *Also, I find that if I go away at all during the summer, they
get terribly thirsty.
Would it be a viable option to dig a very large hole in my border,
much bigger than the current rootball, fill it with ericaceous compost
and plant my pieris therein? *Would the ph of the surrounding soil
leach into the ericaceous one over time, and damage my pieris? *Or
would I need to put some kind of barrier - heavy polythene, or such -
to avoid this? *Has anyone done something like this to include pieris
into an otherwise unsuitable garden?
Your views and advice would be much appreciated.

Cat(h)



Thanks to all who have responded. I will chance replanting them in
the border with a good bank of ericaceous compost, and give them some
appropriate feed to get them settled. I presume this is as good a
time as any? Or would folks here recommend waiting till it gets a bit
warmer? (It has been as low as 4 or 5 degrees at night in the last
couple of nights, and barely 13 to 15 degrees during the day, despite
the lovely sunshine).

Cat(h)
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Old 20-05-2008, 06:47 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
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On May 20, 8:47*am, Sacha wrote:
On 20/5/08 08:32, in article ,

"Mary Fisher" wrote:

"beccabunga" wrote in message
...


... *water with sequestrene if the leaves start looking chlorotic.


er? Chlorotic??


Mary


Yellowing.


Thank you Mary and Sacha... and Beccabunga :-)

Cat(h)
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Old 21-05-2008, 08:39 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening
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Default Pieris

Thought I would add my twopennyworth:

I live in near Monmouth where there is about 12" of soil/subsoil and
then solid red clay! A couple of years ago I planted a pieris in a
border with no thought as to its needs. My neighbour soon pointed out
that the one he had was not thriving and it needed an ericaceous
compost.

After a year of it looking ever more sad, I came across a length of
corrugated drainage piping 2 feet in diameter. Cutting an 18" length, I
let this into the ground (whew, that's a lotta clay) and filled it with
suitable compost. It is now flourishing brilliantly and the size of the
tube means I don't have to water (rainwater) unless there has been a
serious drought.

--
Zak


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Old 21-05-2008, 01:26 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
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On May 21, 7:39*am, Zak Ventis wrote:
Thought I would add my twopennyworth:

I live in near Monmouth where there is about 12" of soil/subsoil and
then solid red clay! *A couple of years ago I planted a pieris in a
border with no thought as to its needs. *My neighbour soon pointed out
that the one he had was not thriving and it needed an ericaceous
compost.

After a year of it looking ever more sad, I came across a length of
corrugated drainage piping 2 feet in diameter. *Cutting an 18" length, I
let this into the ground (whew, that's a lotta clay) and filled it with
suitable compost. *It is now flourishing brilliantly and the size of the
tube means I don't have to water (rainwater) unless there has been a
serious drought.

--
Zak


Thanks Zak! I'll definitely get digging this week end.

Cat(h)
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