Dorothy Wycliff flowers? (Pieris?)? I have one of these plants growing surrounded by my yard,...
I have one of these plants growing surrounded by my yard, it one and only got 2 little spears of flowers on it this year (I a moment ago moved in finishing year; no flowers on it last spring). I go to the garden store and they're pretty expensive, for plants smaller than the one I have. I one and only want to keep it because of the flowers--I almost ripped it out of my courtyard until I saw them :o) What can I do to encourage more flowers for subsequent season?
Answers: Pieris can take a long time to capture established and start flowering well. Make sure your soil is bitter and that the plant is well mulched, preferably near acidic leaves resembling oak. You can use a fertilizer like MirAcid (MiracleGro for acid-loving plants). They also requirement to be kept quite watery, and prefer a semi-shaded spot. It will flower on this year's growth, so you can tell if it will do in good health next year by the amount of fresh green leaves you get this year.
The first year I planted mine it be a tiny shrub. It didn't bloom the first year. second year, few flowers, third, many more. It's something like four feet presently. Give Her time, maybe the previous owners merely planted it?