In our old place we had a huge pieris tree which 'Mrs pop' absolutely adored...I did too. The burst of red leaves at the right time of year were utterly gorgeous
Like to do the same, but I guess the soil is different here (only a couple of miles down the road)! If in a pot, could I increase the pot size as and when and re compost each year? Or am I way off mark?!
^^ The 'bumf' for Picea Pungens suggests the following:
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: acid and neutral soils and can grow in very acid soils.
Therefore if I purchase a new picea pungent, but locate it in a different part of the garden (were in fact I've moved the 'perished' one to), away from the patio and lime might I be ok? The lime from the patio slabs may explain why my run of buxus have expired there (at least half of them) but not elsewhere in my garden.
I'll pick up a tester before I do that anyway.
Just for future reference, could I place in a sheet of perspex (or similar) vertically into the ground where patio slabs are?
Verdun, I posted before I saw your reply. The soil type recommended from various sites suggest pH: acid and neutral soil...can grow in very acid soils.
No idea until I test what kind of soil I have, but perhaps if it's fairly acid, then it might recover in it's new location (with more light and away from the cement). The only other plant I've had trouble growing (and really like) is the pieris (front garden through) which also likes acid soil. Sound like my garden's soil is more neutral?
If you want something blue in that spot check out juniperus blue star or look at eucalyptus gunnii pruned annually or even a blue grass like elymus magellanicus. plants growing in suitable comditions look happy and thrive...it really is not worth growing stuff where not suited.
Will do. I've got a (type of) eucalyptus in the front garden (as a tree)...they really do rocket up....pruned a fair bit that one!
Most of my garden was 'planned' just by look...I really didn't go too deep into what was right (for my pains). For the most part, it's all worked quite well (couple of cherry trees with issues and this picea aside) but I want to look into proper planning a bit more now (so will purchase a soil tester). The sloping bank I mentioned is the last piece of garden I have left for planting, so I'll research soil types here. Will stick a post on the planning section of these boards. Aside from the soil, it's the blinking slugs and snails I have to think about too!
Posts
I'll pick up a kit!
In our old place we had a huge pieris tree which 'Mrs pop' absolutely adored...I did too. The burst of red leaves at the right time of year were utterly gorgeous
Like to do the same, but I guess the soil is different here (only a couple of miles down the road)! If in a pot, could I increase the pot size as and when and re compost each year? Or am I way off mark?!
^^ Do you think (aside from potting in ericaceous for a while) repositioning in the new location might recover it...or is it past that?!
Conifers don't recover from bald bits and brown bits never go green again. I'd start again with something more suitable for your soil.
In the sticks near Peterborough
I shall await the result with interest
In the sticks near Peterborough
^^ The 'bumf' for Picea Pungens suggests the following:
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: acid and neutral soils and can grow in very acid soils.
Therefore if I purchase a new picea pungent, but locate it in a different part of the garden (were in fact I've moved the 'perished' one to), away from the patio and lime might I be ok? The lime from the patio slabs may explain why my run of buxus have expired there (at least half of them) but not elsewhere in my garden.
I'll pick up a tester before I do that anyway.
Just for future reference, could I place in a sheet of perspex (or similar) vertically into the ground where patio slabs are?
Many thanks!
Verdun, I posted before I saw your reply. The soil type recommended from various sites suggest pH: acid and neutral soil...can grow in very acid soils.
No idea until I test what kind of soil I have, but perhaps if it's fairly acid, then it might recover in it's new location (with more light and away from the cement). The only other plant I've had trouble growing (and really like) is the pieris (front garden through) which also likes acid soil. Sound like my garden's soil is more neutral?
If you want something blue in that spot check out juniperus blue star or look at eucalyptus gunnii pruned annually or even a blue grass like elymus magellanicus. plants growing in suitable comditions look happy and thrive...it really is not worth growing stuff where not suited.
Will do. I've got a (type of) eucalyptus in the front garden (as a tree)...they really do rocket up....pruned a fair bit that one!
Most of my garden was 'planned' just by look...I really didn't go too deep into what was right (for my pains). For the most part, it's all worked quite well (couple of cherry trees with issues and this picea aside) but I want to look into proper planning a bit more now (so will purchase a soil tester). The sloping bank I mentioned is the last piece of garden I have left for planting, so I'll research soil types here. Will stick a post on the planning section of these boards. Aside from the soil, it's the blinking slugs and snails I have to think about too!
Many thanks