What's wrong with my Pieris?

Jess91

Jess91 says:

It has lived in a largish pot for the few years we have had it. Originally it was bushy and had lots of leaves, but over the last year or so it has dropped quite a lot of leaves and has become leggy and bare looking.

We have now planted it in the ground in a sunny spot and given it some ericaceous feed.

Is there anything else I can do to help it?

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Stevedaylilly

Hi Jess 

Pieries normally prefer a part shady site and prefer not to be scorched by early morning full sun.When you replanted it did you use ericaceous compost in the soil mix. 

My Peris went quite bare but persever  with giving it a monthly ericaceous feed and part shade location and it should improve it overall condition and apperance 

musher

yes they do Jess. Their a woodland plant that perform best when grown in semi shade

Jess91

Thanks for your advice. We didn't use ericaceous compost but we did mix in plenty of normal compost and sand to help with drainage as our soil is quite poor (new build garden so plenty of builders rubbish and rocks).

It does get shade in the morning so isn't exposed to morning sun. Probably in the sun from around 11am to around 5 or 6pm. 

Would I be better off moving it or try to continue improving the soil and ericaceous feed?

Thanks 

Jess91

Thanks for your advice. We didn't use ericaceous compost but we did mix in plenty of normal compost and sand to help with drainage as our soil is quite poor (new build garden so plenty of builders rubbish and rocks).

It does get shade in the morning so isn't exposed to morning sun. Probably in the sun from around 11am to around 5 or 6pm. 

Would I be better off moving it or try to continue improving the soil and ericaceous feed?

Thanks

Stevedaylilly

Hi Jess 

it it would normally enjoy a part shade location(approximately 6 hours of direct sun) so it is getting that requirement. The main thing is that it is not getting sun first thing in the morning. Normally, once a Peiris has established its self over a few years it will do well in most aspects 

Good luck and keep giving it that monthly feed as that will do it no harm 

Jess91

Okay thank you.  Hopefully it will pick up soon 

Alina W

Once it starts growing well you can also prune it to clothe the bottom part. Take out the longest and straggliest branch to within a few inches of the ground every year; if the plant is happy, it will replace it with fresh shoots low down.

You could start your feeding by using some sequestered iron plant tonic (e.g., Doff), as the sand you have planted it in will be alkaline.

paolomh

About fertilizer when is good to feed? Is it ok to feed while flowering? organic vs not organic?  

Fairygirl

Hi Paolomh- this is an ideal time of year for feeding most plants as they're starting to grow. I use Blood, Fish and Bone for most things and tomato food now and again for anything which flowers heavily.
It's a personal thing really and other people will use other products. It also depends what plants you have and your soil conditions. Plants in rich soil will generally need very little extra food during the season. 

paolomh

Thank you fairygirl, although I got not much information about my ericaceous organic fertilizer, I have found a good site about fish fertilizer which is worrying to say the least https://www.gardenmyths.com/?s=Fish&submit=Search so sorry if causing headaches!  
About Jess91 keeping in mind that my pieris is in pot, I will be worry about alkaline/ lime compost instead of ericaceous or acidic compost which is also mentioned on the same website https://www.gardenmyths.com/?s=Acidic&submit=Search  following my little research (20+ hours online an counting) is better to feed my pieris flaming silver in early spring, before flowering (3 weeks at least after repotting) and perhaps again in early autumn. Now my biggest concern are lacebugs and  leaf spot and Phytophthora root diseases. Perhaps someone with good experience could shine a light on all that theory?