Forest Flame has bright red new foliage in spring. This then fades to yellow and eventually turns green as teh season progresses.
It is an ericaceous plant which means it needs acid soil and soft water, preferably rain water. If you have planted it in alkaline soil it will struggle. If you've been watering it with hard tap water it will struggle as the alkalinity prevents it taking up certain nutrients from the soil and it will become anaemic.
If you do have it in neutral to acid soil and do not have hard water it will benefit from a good mulch of ericaceous compost for rhododendrons, azaleas and heathers.
If you soil is neutral to alkalin you need to transfer it to a pot filled with ericaceous compost and water it with an ericaceous feed which contains sequestered iron. The food available in teh compost will be used up within 6 weeks to 3 months so you will have to make sure it gets extra food and all its water needs. Never use hard tap water.
They change colour after the new growth has grown- red/orange then get lighter - eventually turn green. Just moved this but it was in a north facing site with late afternoon sun
As you can see- someone didn't pick a very good place to plant it!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
lucky I always use blood, fish and bone and grow pieris, azaleas , and rhodies. Never had a problem so I think something else must have killed your conifer! It's a bit misleading re the ericaceous compost thing for these plants as they will grow perfectly happily in neutral soil too if the aspect is right and they have sufficicent moisture etc. I grow my plants quite hard- I don't mollycoddle them too much. Prepare the ground well when they go in and let them get on with it as much as possible.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
My seven year old Pieris has suddenly started losing leaves, they are turning yellow on top with veins showing strong. underneath the leaves have a brown rust like substance, with a small fly like insect on them. Any ideas anywhere ? I have three more all going same way.
Hi, it looks like 'gardennov' ( lol) pieris got lacebug, which I have read is not uncommon in south England..my new flaming silver, in pot,is also dropping yellow leaves in late Spring, too much water from rainy weather could be the cause? My pH reading is 6.5, should I use sulphur? Plz advice. PsToday I used organic ericaceous feed three weeks after repotting for the first time. It is placed in a sheltered ( by the house walls) semi shade ( afternoon sun) north facing garden.
I think it’s always best to buy plants that suit your soil, trying to change your soil is never a good idea. if you can’t do a soil test just look at what’s growing around you and buy those plants. Buy a shrub that’s going to grow huge and keeping it a smal pot of soil is not very good for the plant.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
Posts
Forest Flame has bright red new foliage in spring. This then fades to yellow and eventually turns green as teh season progresses.
It is an ericaceous plant which means it needs acid soil and soft water, preferably rain water. If you have planted it in alkaline soil it will struggle. If you've been watering it with hard tap water it will struggle as the alkalinity prevents it taking up certain nutrients from the soil and it will become anaemic.
If you do have it in neutral to acid soil and do not have hard water it will benefit from a good mulch of ericaceous compost for rhododendrons, azaleas and heathers.
If you soil is neutral to alkalin you need to transfer it to a pot filled with ericaceous compost and water it with an ericaceous feed which contains sequestered iron. The food available in teh compost will be used up within 6 weeks to 3 months so you will have to make sure it gets extra food and all its water needs. Never use hard tap water.
Here is some info from the RHS - http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=1469
They change colour after the new growth has grown- red/orange then get lighter - eventually turn green. Just moved this but it was in a north facing site with late afternoon sun
As you can see- someone didn't pick a very good place to plant it!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Sam Im not sure about feeding ericacious plants bonemeal , does it say its okey on the instructions ?
I killed a conifer with bonemeal ( early days ).
usualy it needs the ericacious compost not a multi .
lucky I always use blood, fish and bone and grow pieris, azaleas , and rhodies. Never had a problem so I think something else must have killed your conifer! It's a bit misleading re the ericaceous compost thing for these plants as they will grow perfectly happily in neutral soil too if the aspect is right and they have sufficicent moisture etc. I grow my plants quite hard- I don't mollycoddle them too much. Prepare the ground well when they go in and let them get on with it as much as possible.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Hi
My seven year old Pieris has suddenly started losing leaves, they are turning yellow on top with veins showing strong. underneath the leaves have a brown rust like substance, with a small fly like insect on them. Any ideas anywhere ? I have three more all going same way.
I'll bump you up the forum but I know nothing of pieris, sorry
In the sticks near Peterborough
PsToday I used organic ericaceous feed three weeks after repotting for the first time. It is placed in a sheltered ( by the house walls) semi shade ( afternoon sun) north facing garden.
if you can’t do a soil test just look at what’s growing around you and buy those plants.
Buy a shrub that’s going to grow huge and keeping it a smal pot of soil is not very good for the plant.