long time no see ...

transplant is stress enough..

i wouldnt go doing to much soil amending until spring ...

cover it.. or protect from wind for this winter if you are a worrier.. and it will drive you insane all winter ... even just a cardboard box.. open on top.. reduces desiccating wind from the side ... if it is evergreen..

keep recpt handy for failure in spring ..

gotta run.. i dont know if this is coherent.. lol ..

ken

Hey ken, I'm not really worried about the winter weather, if it can't survive without protection then I don't keep it in my garden is my policy. I'm more concerned about soil ph since I read pieris is very sensitive to this and requires acid ph. I found an espoma product for changing soil ph just not sure how to go about doing it. Plus mortar from patio base may make soil even more alkaline.

Hollytone is a very good fertilizer for acid soil plants, but will not by itself acidify existing soil. Elemental sulfur or ferrous sulfate are the most widely used acidifiers. Using them without the guidance of a soil test is not, however, a good idea - you'll have no way of knowing how much to add or even if it is necessary.

If you really want to give this plant "maximum chance for survival" winter protection for the first year is an extremely good idea. It's late for planting and no plant reaches its full hardiness potential immediately. There would seem to be little point in adjusting pH if no protection at all is to be provided for the winter.

Even if it's planted on northwest side of house with 3 ft tall brick patio and childs playhouse (on patio) as well as a lilac tree protecting it from the elements? I hardly ever get dieback on other shrubs (except hydrangea) even newly planted ones.

I should add, I have an oakleaf little honey about 7 ft away and it gets no dieback but I get your point about it being a new plant. Should I use a store bought ph test? No time now to send it off for testing.

what i was suggesting.. being that it is moving into late fall..

i doubt any soil amendment is going to have much impact .. before soil temps stop root function in the great white north

you have until next spring to figure it out..

plant the darn thing ASAP ..

ken

I think you are right Ken. Will get it in today. It's unlikely the bacteria needed to act on he sulfur will be active much longer anyway.

eggs-actly ...

lol

ken