Small skimmias

Shoxt3r · September 2021

Hi all,

We've got several skimmia plants in our garden but only one male variety is flowering after several months of growth and despite regularly feeding with this (our soil is predominantly alkali).

https://www.lovethegarden.com/uk-en/product/miracle-gro-azalea-camellia-rhododendron-concentrated-liquid-plant-food-1-litre

The only one to flower is in a pot - we have 3 others in pots/troughs individually and another 3 that are in the ground. Those in the ground have been there for about 2 years.

I remember originally planting them all in standard compost and to be honest only started feeding all of them with the acid feed for the last year.

Any thoughts on what I can do to boost them or am I better off cutting my losses and buying some bigger skimmias from a garden centre (or another perhaps more suitable plant for our soil)? We're basically trying to fill the flowerbeds.

Thanks!

Fairygirl · September 2021

They don't really like alkaline soil unless it has loads of organic matter added to it. It's very difficult to replicate the best conditions just by feeding artificially too. If you add compost to the ground it can help in a general way, but even adding ericaceous compost won't alter the soil pH to any extent. They also need a shadier spot to do well.

Just compost is also no use for them if in pots. They need a proper loam based soil for that, and it needs some attention and refreshing every year. Most skimmias get to quite a decent size, so they aren't great in containers anyway.

Were they all small plants when you bought them? Buying bigger specimens can be difficult if you can't establish them properly.

Have you got some photos? The icon that looks like hills is the one to use.

Shoxt3r · September 2021

Ah ok so really it's probably not going to change much given our soil pH? The pots have been in a shadier spot but maybe the ones in the trough and in the beds have been in the sun too much, hence the lack of growth.

All of the plants in the pots/trough were from cuttings which I carefully nurtured with feed etc using a guide from YouTube and I'm surprised have grown to the extent they have. I learnt pretty early on going by the colour of the leaves that they weren't getting the nutrients they needed (they were a mottled green/yellow which has matured to a dark green with many of the plants).

Attached are some photos.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/4h/onr38d2twmwx.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/xu/ldbaggbrdv0l.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/7b/0pedp9q1zklx.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/4k/566eojpdtpxj.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/za/krlk6k1riea0.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/9f/s9g4va156n1u.jpg

Fairygirl · September 2021

Ah yes , they're tiny. Planted at that size in open ground, they'll take many years to be of any size

I think a large part of the problem is the lack of soil in the containers - they're only half full. They'll struggle to make good root systems in that, and will tend to get entwined as well. Although they like a fairly moist soil, they also need good drainage when in pots, so it would be a better idea to get them onto some hard standing somewhere, with pot feet under them. It's easy for drainage holes to get blocked.

Shoxt3r · September 2021

Ah I see - so do you think it's worth persevering more with the container versions and topping up the soil, checking drainage is adequate etc.? Also, would switching what I have in the containers at the moment to ericaceous compost help things?

I'm also wondering at what time of year I need to be doing this - is it too late in the year and I wait until Spring to sort all of this out or would the plants be ok to be disturbed at this stage?

My eventual plan with the plants is to put the most successful ones into the flower beds, maybe replacing the smaller ones that are in there at the moment.

Fairygirl · September 2021

You can certainly re pot them just now @Shoxt3r

When you take them out, just re pot them all individually into pots that aren't too much bigger than the rootball. That means they won't be sitting in really wet soil over the coming months, because they won't grow much more this year. Some might be better developed than others, so just judge it as well as you can, but try and make sure they have enough depth so that the roots can get down properly.

If you mix some compost with a decent loam, that will give them plenty of nutrition without them being overfed, but will keep them going over winter and into spring, when they'll put on some more growth. If the mix seems a bit heavy, you can add some grit if you have it, but as long as the drainage holes are kept clear, and they're up off the ground, and they aren't sitting totally exposed to lots of wet weather, they should be fine.
It depends a lot on your climate, so just keep them against a wall to prevent waterlogging if you're in a very wet part of the country.

Shoxt3r · September 2021

Ok great, thank you.
I should have some pots which are slightly bigger than the rootballs - I don't imagine some of them are that big at this point.

- How much depth would you recommend I leave available below the roots?

- When you mention "loam" do you mean mix the compost with our existing soil, or something else?

- What compost would you recommend I use?

- When you say "heavy" what do you mean please? I have some pebbles available that I can put in for drainage maybe? That's what I've done for our other pots but thanks for recommending lifting them off the ground; I hadn't thought to do that.

We're based in North Kent so we get average weather really - our winters have been pretty cold of late though - plenty of snow back in February/March this year for example!

Apologies for all of the questions and thank you for your answers so far!

Fairygirl · September 2021

No problem

If they have an inch or two below the roots - that's fine. It doesn't have to be exact though, so don't worry.
Any general compost will do at this stage in the year for mixing in. They don't need lots of extra nutrition at this time of year. If you don't want to buy J. Innes for example, you could use your garden soil, but as your soil is alkaline, it's better to get some of that. There are various types, so just pick one that's suited to shrubs.
I'm never keen on the 'layer of gravel at the bottom' method, but some people find it ok. In wet conditions [which I have] it can create a sump, which is no use for young, fine roots. Some pots are also designed to hold water at the bottom, so I tend to avoid those if it's a plant that might get waterlogged.
The heavier soil is just when it's a clay type - solid, and with poorer drainage. It holds water rather than letting it drain through more freely. Those soils are often excellent for growing, as they can be full of nutrients, but they need the addition of lots of organic matter to open them up. For a pot, the compost and some grit helps to loosen it all when mixed together, and creates a better mix to suit more types of plant. You're just looking to have a nice mix that allows some water retention, but allows excess to drain well.
Snow doesn't affect them in any way - it can be a good insulator. It's really only a problem if it happens after a lot of rain/sleet, as it can freeze that into icy blobs, or if it gathers heavily on bigger plants, as it can cause stems/branches to break. A couple of inches is usually ok - more than that, and it's good to brush it off. It's more of a problem with big leafy plants, and things like conifers. I don't think it would be a problem for you with the size of the plants though. I always clear it off things like Fatsias and Phormiums. Everything else just has to get on with it

Small skimmias

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