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Leaves are turning brown on my Japonica Pieris :(

comixiacoolkidZzdUZwldcomixiacoolkidZzdUZwld Posts: 3
in Problem solving
Hello! Recently my Pieris Japonica has been browning from the tips and it has also been happening to the new growth which has me worried. The leaves are brown and feel a bit dry and crispy. It is located in a place where it gets a good amount of morning sun and is shaded during the hottest part of the day. I water the plant just before the soil gets dry to touch. It is currently spring where I live and the maximum temperature so far has been about 26C. I was thinking could this be some sort of mineral deficiency?, I don't think the growth is stunted because it is still pushing new growth. I am new to raising plants and would appreciate any help and tips!
Thank you



Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Hi @comixiacoolkidZzdUZwld -Is it in that pot? It looks very chlorotic. They need neutral to acidic soil to do well. If you don't have soft water, they need rainwater too. 

    They're best in a shadier site too. Even morning sun can be too much if you're in a warmer area. 26 is hot  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • comixiacoolkidZzdUZwldcomixiacoolkidZzdUZwld Posts: 3
    hello @Fairygirl Thank you for the reply!
    Ill try moving him to a shadier area till he recovers, Ive been using tap water to water him so I guess the fluoride probably hasn't helped..., for the ph level I have been thinking of using Ash to increase it but i should probably use a ph kit first. Also yes he is in a pot right now however he still has space down there to grow.
    Thank you again!
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The soil in the pot probably isn't suitable. A good loam [soil] based compost is needed for anything potted long term, especially shrubs. :)
    You can also just mix some topsoil with some compost suitable for ericaceous plants, and that will be a better medium for it ,if you can't find something in a garden centre or similar, but most places will sell bags for that purpose.
    Compost alone is no use - it isn't hearty enough, other than for a short time  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    edited October 2020
    You don't want to be increasing the pH, unless the compost is already very acidic. pH 7 is neutral, lower than that is acidic and higher is alkaline.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • comixiacoolkidZzdUZwldcomixiacoolkidZzdUZwld Posts: 3
    edited October 2020
    @Fairygirl I see.. I think Ill re soil my pieris, do you think Peat would be a good edition to the soil mix?
    Thank you
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    You'd need to check what the soil is in terms of pH. As @JennyJ says - if the soil is already acidic, don't make it more acidic. I can't tell what pH your soil is, I can only say that neutral to acidic is what they require, so if it's in alkaline soil it won't be happy, and the tapwater is another problem, so you'd need to collect  rainwater. There could be many other factors causing problems - including the sun frazzling the foliage, overwatering, bad drainage etc, all leading to stress. 
    The soil is the obvious place to start, and addressing the plant's location, especially if it's in a pot. We can only see a couple of small bits of the plant in the photos, which makes it difficult to give advice :)

    These kinds of shrubs do best in a cooler, damper climate. That's what you need to try and replicate, especially to help it recover.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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