too much shade, or the trees sucking all the nutrients out of the soil. THATS MY DEFAULT TRYING TO GROW WATER LOVING PLANTS UNDER MAPLES

I am planning on fertilizing a couple more times with Hollytone this season. EVEN THOUGH ITS A LOW IMPACT FERT.. THATS A LOT.. AND MOST LIKELY WILL ALL BE STOLEN BY THE MAPLE ... ALL YOU ARE DOING IS ENCOURAGING THE MAPLE TO GROW MORE ROOTS INTO THE PLANT ...

I am wondering if I can cut it back to the ground to bare wood and if I did, will it grow back from the base?

====>>> you have no other spot except under maples???

i guess i would pot it or move it ...

ken

Hi Ken,

Unfortunately, 3/4 of our property is near a full grown tree, except for the lawn and the foundation plantings. So I have to find something to grow in these areas, I need them for screening especially. Not that the pieris is meant for that.

Yes, it could be that I can move the Pieris to the front foundation planting. I am planning on doing over that area in the fall. It would be an East facing location which I guess will work out. Still, the shrub has suffered for two years in this location and looks it. I still have bare interior and bare bottoms, so should I leave it alone, replant in the fall and will it fill out in a better location, or should I move it in the fall and prune it back after flowering next spring? Or start over again with a new pieris? It was a pretty small plant two years ago and has grown taller but sparser, so it would not be a large loss to start over.

i have zero luck w/ pieris. i've killed more than i can count. doesn't matter if i fertilize, shade, sun...you name it. i truly think they only do well in native acidic soil - not soil that is amended to try to be acidic. i would recommend trying another plant :)

Thanks, I didn't get back to catch this response last June, but I'm beginning to believe you are right. Mine is still not liking my conditions and I did try fertilizing last year.