Pieris Japonica Mountain Fire

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lbrabec (Lynn) Omaha, NE(Zone 5a) May 23, 2008

Hi,I have gardened for years,but this plant defeats me.I acidified the soil before planting.The first location received morning sun only.It didn't die,but it just sat there.Everytime it got a little new growth an older stem would die.The next location received morning sun and a little late afternoon sun.Same thing.It's now in a large pot.My Leucothoe does only slightly better.They both were originally starter plants.I would love to purchase a larger one,but I hate to go to the expense until I figure out what I'm doing wrong.Thanks for any help,Lynn.

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plantfreak78 Rolesville, NC(Zone 7b) May 23, 2008

Pieris need very well-drained soil. Did you amend the soil when you planted?

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lbrabec (Lynn) Omaha, NE(Zone 5a) May 23, 2008

I didn't amend the drainage that much.Our soil is clay and does hold water well,but can dry out good in hot weather.I add compost every year to improve the texture and use mulch.Perhaps I overwatered it trying to establish it.I put it in a clay pot in a fast draining acid soil mix,but since it's 3 years old and still tiny,I probably should start with a fresh plant.I do have other plants in the bed that require good drainage,but maybe I babied this one too much.Thank you for the advice,Lynn.

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plantfreak78 Rolesville, NC(Zone 7b) May 24, 2008

When you say you acidified the soil what do you mean? The clay in my area tends to be acidic already so I wonder what the normal pH of your clay is. Also, if the soil that a Pieris is planted in holds too much water they tend to get root rot and/or stem rot fairly easily.
Here, we usually give them afternoon shade, use a mixture of pine bark soil conditioner and cow manure (or compost), plant them 1 inch higher than the surrounding soil and mulch them very lightly. One last thing, if you ever see it wilt you should feel the soil before you water it, because wilting can sometimes be a sign of root/stem rot instead of a thirsty plant.

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lbrabec (Lynn) Omaha, NE(Zone 5a) May 24, 2008

Our clay here ranges from neutral to slightly alkaline.I added sulphur,peat,and compost manure and mixed it in deeply before planting.When I put it in a pot I used a master gardener's soil recipe which included sulphur and shredded pine bark.I often use a probe to test for water needs,because some plants wilt in very high heat and revive in the evening and don't need to be watered.My original spot had morning sun only.I moved it to the second spot thinking it might need more light.I also feed my acid loving plants with Miracid on occasion.I think by now this plant is stunted and I will need to try a new plant.Thank you for all of the help.Lynn

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