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#1
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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) |
#3
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Pieris
"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 |
#4
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Pieris
"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. |
#5
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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. |
#6
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Pieris
"beccabunga" wrote in message ... ... water with sequestrene if the leaves start looking chlorotic. er? Chlorotic?? Mary |
#7
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Pieris
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.' |
#8
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Pieris
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) |
#9
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Pieris
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) |
#10
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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 |
#11
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Pieris
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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