How can I rescue my potted camelia?

[carosanto]

Hi Y'all,

I have a camelia, which is at least 10 years old in a 16 in pot.  It originally was planted in my garden in Lincs, where it never did much, and was potted when we moved to Cornwall 2 years ago, whereupon it flowered profusely and then sulked for 18 months.  Leaves are glossy but yellowish despite feeding with ericaceous feed.

I know camelias grow well in the ground here, could I de-pot it, dig a hole chuck in some ericaceous compost + gravel and plant?  Would this improve its health or kill it off entirely?  Help please.

I know the answer is out there....!

Caro

[carosanto]

[Robert_Brenchley]

It would probably be fine. What part of Cornwall are you in?

[carosanto]

HI, we are in the Tamar Valley, Gunnislake to be exact.  We get loads of rain, and I think the camelia likes this, also I've seen local gardens full of 'em, so feel that I should turf it out of its pot and into my flinty bit of front garden.  Whaddya think?

Regards Caro

[Garden Manager]

What sort of ericaceous feed do you use? I use a slow release one that i apply in spring (but any time during the growing season will do). That seems to get the plants through the year (most years!). Or maybe you could try refreshing the compost by taking off the top layer and replacing it with new ericaceous compost. If you can go any bigger, potting on might help also.

I wouldn't plant it out in the ground unless you are sure about the pH of the soil. Anything neutral to acid is fine. Anything above neutral and it would be a waste of time.

Hope this helps

[Robert_Brenchley]

You'll find very little but neutral to acid soils in Cornwall! I'd just turf it out and plant it. If you visit a forestry plantation, a good mulch of pine needles would help maintain the acidity.

[carosanto]

Hi Y'all

Thanks for the help on my potted Camelia.  I have done a soil test and the soil is very acid.  trouble is, there is very little soil at all, it is mostly what they call round here 'sheel' (not sure about the spelling) which is basically mining waste, little and big stones, lumps of granit and a bit of earth here and there. 

So my Camelia has a choice - stay in fairly good 'pot'soil, perhaps a bigger pot, or perhaps I could dig a space bigger than the present rootball and fill in with good ericaceous compost.  Seems I have to make a judgement call here!

I do feed her (it is definitely female) with a dilute ericaceous feed every few weeks, but she is not greening up very well, looks a bit sick actually, so perhaps a change from her pot could be on the cards.  Before I take the final, and probably irreversible step, is there anything more I should think about?

Gardening makes my head ache!!

Regrds, Caro