Pieris Advice Please

My father in law has a Pieris that has been in a large pot for years, and he asked me to plant it out in the garden somewhere. He said that I will need to dig in some Ericaceous (??). Can anyone tell me what this is and what would be the best site for the plant?? Thanks all.Do you have to keep topping up with this Ericaceous as time goes on??? Thanks

 

It would be better to stay in a container, Bunslip, as the effect of the ericaceous compost will be lost over time in a border. Is it possible to have a bigger one?

You can get ericaceous feed too - that helps. It'll never be as colourful as you get in naturally acid-soil areas, but it'll be healthy and happy if you give it the ericaceous treatment! I was gobsmacked when I came back to live in Scotland a year or so ago, when the pieris all suddenly came into flame all over the place - it made me realise just how tame it is in alkaline areas, howver much you pamper it!

 

Thanks Wiseoldowl, very informative.

 

Thanks Dend...noted!! I will point this out.

 

Pieris will do well in neutral to acid soil preferably in dappled shade ( ie a light wooded area ) If you are going to plant in a general border then make sure you incorporate plenty of sedge peat or ericaceous compost into the soil. To do this you need to dig a hole 2 1/2 times the size of the root ball, then fork some of your peat and/or compost into the bottom of the hole and mix the rest with your backfill material.Put your Pieris into the hole and backfill with your soil/compost mix firming it down to make sure it is in contact with the rootball. If the soil is dry then water in. David.