We've re-potted the Christmas Tree, into a big half-barrel: it's not been looking happy, and I'm not sure if it's the soil exhausting, or a lack of water. Anyway; we donated some of our huge pile of topsoil, and with any luck it'll pick up.
To do so, we had to pot the previous occupants of the barrel: two conifers (doing well), a buddleia (leggy), and two skimmia (not so happy). There were, once, three heathers, but they gave up the ghost, it appears. No plan, yet, for where these pots will end up...
We also filled the gaps (given the small stature of the bushes at the moment) in the fruit beds with the gladioli. They'll probably be cut for bringing inside, rather than left there, which is always good.
Wednesday 12 May 2010
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Just a thought - you may need slightly acidic (and slightly moist!) soil in your barrel, judging by what has (or hasn't) grown so far!?
ReplyDeleteWishing the Christmas tree well
Kath
@Kath: yes, the previous group were chosen as a lime-hating set (the buddleja was self-sown!), and had ericaceous soil. The heather got crowded out, I think, rather than being a soil problem.
ReplyDeleteThe tree's now got acid soil, and is being watered with ericaceous feed-enhanced water. The local soil is acid, and there are lots of native heather and bilberries. I'm still not sure what's wrong with the tree! It's not getting worse, now, so hopefully it'll pick up.