​Planting Tips for Acid Loving Plants

Before purchasing make sure to check you growing zone to make sure the plant will thrive in your USDA Zone 

Azalea | Abelia | Boxwood | Cleyera | Crape
Myrtle | Holly(Ilex) | Juniper  Loropetalum | Mahonia | Pieris | Nandina | Viburnum

 Choose a location that will receive the required amount of
sunlight according to the care tag.

Full
Sun – 6+ Hrs | Partial Sun/Shade
– 3-6 Hrs | Shade – 3 or less hours
of Sun per day

Groundwork: Soil Prep

The soil in the ideal location will have well-drained soil.
If the soil is not “well-draining” plan to dig the hole for your new acidic
loving plants (ALP’s) 3-4 times larger than the pot and using a well-drained
garden soil to back fill the hole to make sure that plant is receiving adequate
drainage. Poor drainage can lead to root rot and disease.

To make sure your new ALP is going to thrive you want to
make sure that you will be planting in well-drained slightly acidic soil. The
Ideal pH range for most ALP’s from 5 to 6.5, but we recommend checking the care
tag to see the ideal range on the particular species you are planting. If the
information is not listed on the tag a quick search on your favorite search
engine will provide you this information.

We recommend using a well-drained garden soil mixed in with
your native soil (If you have nice soil in your location) to back fill the hole
when planting. You can also consider adding compost, peat moss, and manure
which can help improve your soils’ fertility and drainage.

When to Plant

Spring and Autumn/Fall are considered the ideal time to
plant due to the milder conditions, but you can be plant throughout the year as
long as adequate care is taken to care for the new plants.

Planting Steps:

• Water your new acid loving plant thoroughly before
  starting
• Start by digging the hole 2-x times larger than
  the root ball
• Remove the plant from the container and tease
  the root ball loosening the roots
• You want the top of the root ball to be slightly
  above the soil level(approx. 1/4-1/2 inch)
• Fill in around the plant with your mixture of
  well-drained garden soil and organic matter of choice
• Add mulch to help regulated moisture
• Water 2-3 times per week until established, then as needed in dry conditions
• Fertilize with a well-balanced fertilizer that is
  formulated for acid-loving plants to keep your plants well-fed (Repeat annually
  or bi-annually)

Related Articles

Building A Better Base

Fall Is For Planting

Proper Planting: Advice For When To Plant

Green Gardening – Organic Alternatives

Testing Soil Composition

Grow In Your Zone