Skimmia Japonica Magic Marlot

welshcake

I bought a Skimmia Japonica Magic Marlot today which is fairly well grown so it was a bit pricey and I want to make sure don't kill it! When I've been researching plant care, quite a lot of websites say it needs to be in ericaceous soil.  However on the RHS website, it says the soil pH can be acid, alkaline or neutral.  Can anyone advise?

Liriodendron

I think what they really need is a soil full of humus.  They'll grow in slightly alkaline conditions provided there's adequate well-rotted compost added.  They do need quite a bit of shade, though - in full sun the leaves turn yellow.

Cambridgerose12

I potted mine up in John Innes ericaceous and it is really fantastic three years on. Sorry, I currently only have a photo of it that turns round when I upload—it’s in the blue pot. 

welshcake

Liriodendron said:

I think what they really need is a soil full of humus.  They'll grow in slightly alkaline conditions provided there's adequate well-rotted compost added.  They do need quite a bit of shade, though - in full sun the leaves turn yellow.

Thanks very much.  I had read about the shade and I think the spot I wanted to put it, although east facing, may be too sunny at times even if I made sure the soil had enough compost.  I have a shadier spot it could go but it would need to be in a container there so I think I'll end up getting some ericaceous compost anyway.

welshcake

Cambridgerose12 said:

I potted mine up in John Innes ericaceous and it is really fantastic three years on. Sorry, I currently only have a photo of it that turns round when I upload—it’s in the blue pot. 

Thanks very much.  I have that problem with photos sometimes, don't know why it does it but I can still see how lovely your plant looks.  I think I'm going to end up putting mine in ericaceous soil as per my reply to Liriodendron above.  In order to put it somewhere that's not too sunny, it will need to go in a pot so I might as well use that type of compost.  Do you water yours with normal tap water or always from rainwater?

Cambridgerose12

I've been pretty lax about using rainwater but I do give it a dose of chelated iron every spring. It's been moved around in sun and shade and seems to do best in part shade.

For the medium you use, the critical thing is to use soil-based ericaceous rather than ordinary potting compost. Shrubs don't thrive in ordinary potting compost and its roots will fail to develop properly. I have to grow most of my shrubs in containers and the difference is very noticeable. Unfortunately it can be hard to get hold of the right sort, and your local garden centre often tries to fob you off with the other sort! In case it's any help, I recently got some here:
https://marshallsgarden.com/products/john-innes-ericaceous-compost-35l-10904641?variant=31308724502579&currency=GBP&ds_rl=1278790&ds_rl=1284267&gclid=CjwKCAjwgbLzBRBsEiwAXVIygAEuiVjb3xpdjcq6Ea1HvuTnO9ZTccZgdUDgkTSpQGF6383BfNuwjhoCyLkQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Hope this helps!

If you do get some you'll see how it's really different in composition from ordinary compost. 

welshcake

Thanks again for all your help on this - I'm pretty new to gardening and certainly to Skimmias!  I don't have a water butt (yet) and could do with not having to buy one at the moment so great that I can just use normal tap water. 

I've just checked my local garden centre online and they are showing one compost which is made by Westland but it's planting and potting mix rather than the John Innes one that you suggested.  I can call to see what they have in store (they don't put everything online) but if they only have the one online, do you think I should leave that and get the John Innes type?

https://www.pughsgardencentre.co.uk/ericaceous-planting-potting-mix-60l