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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2006 12:48:54 GMT
I've got a few acid loving plants in pots in a shady part of the garden where they all seem very happy, but just lately the skimmias' leaves are yellowing. Do they just need repotting with ericaceous compost? Or some sort of feed?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2006 13:23:59 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2006 13:27:00 GMT
Thanks Rita, that's just the info I was after.  |
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Post by andy on Oct 7, 2006 13:42:12 GMT
Strange how plants adapt....i have several huge skimmias at work growing in about 12" of soil then solid...and i mean solid chalk
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2006 14:14:15 GMT
So they obviously don't mind the chalk then? That's interesting. According to Crocus waterlogged soil can cause the leaves to yellow and even kill it. Looks as if they prefer even chalk to too much water.
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Post by andy on Oct 7, 2006 14:21:16 GMT
Strange....obviously chalk is very free draining so that must be right. I've also got some 20' + tall japanese maples at work and two of the most gorgeous acer palmatum dissectum (one is a 'garnet') growing over my pond at home and my home town of Lewes is bang in the middle of the south downs.....and solid flint and chalk.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2006 14:25:51 GMT
Curiouser and curiouser! I thought Japanese Maples had to have acid soil. Wonder what other acid lovers you could grow there Andy?
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Post by andy on Oct 7, 2006 14:31:35 GMT
Well just up the road from me, my mates mum died about 10 years ago and she had a superb and very healthy 3' high Pieris in her very chalky garden.
I dug it up and put it in a pot not wanting to risk it anymore in the chalk.
I've got a few witch hazels which i thought preferred slightly acid soil and several pines and blue spruces which aren't too keen on chalk....and they're thriving !!!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2006 14:46:00 GMT
Aha, but what about heather?  |
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Post by beejay on Oct 7, 2006 16:16:19 GMT
Many skimmias are fairly tolerant of all types of soil. Mrs beige, it could be magnesium deficiency & you could try epsom salts.
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Post by andy on Oct 7, 2006 16:20:00 GMT
Aha, but what about heather? Alas i have huge beds of heather at work and at home.....i think there's only a small proportion of lime hating ericas and E. calluna is one. Both erica carnea and E. darlyensis are both pretty tolerant of lime. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2006 19:39:00 GMT
Well, that explains why my skimmia has done absolutely nothing since I got it in the spring - I didn't realise they were lime haters - and the poor thing is in a bed full of builder's rubble I feel really foolish now - but will remedy the situation ... cheers ... |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 8, 2006 8:15:28 GMT
Thanks everyone! I think, apart from repotting, it DOES definitely need feeding. There's some sort of deficiency there. I bought them both at the same time and they've both started yellowing at the same time.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2006 15:01:40 GMT
Did you water using tap water through the summer Debbie?  |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2006 17:13:26 GMT
Yes, I think so. They are now repotted in ericaceous compost.
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