The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Growing => Gardens => Topic started by: Bionic on May 13, 2016, 04:58:04 pm
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OH was digging a hole for me to plant a camellia that was bought for my birthday when he has discovered what seems to be the remains of a bag of lime left over by the builders.
Obviously I'm not going to use that hole for the camellia now but was wondering what else I can buy that would grow there?
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How much lime is left? If there is a lot it might be difficult to get things to grow well. Is there anything growing there at the moment?
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Possum, nothing growing at the moment but then the building works have only just been finished.
Sounds like I may have to dig a bit more out :-(
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Might be worth a look at the RHS list of plants for chalky soils. (https://www.rhs.org.uk/Advice/Profile?PID=763)
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Morning Bionic,
It would probably be worth removing the majority of any lime that is left. Easy-to-grow shrubs that could go in the hole include lavender, forsythia,peony,flowering currant,viburnum and cistus.
Fortunately camellias do well in containers so long as you use an ericaceous compost. One thing that I have learnt (too my cost!) is that they should not be placed where they get the early morning sun. Because they flower early in the year, temperatures are often low. Sunshine in the morning warms the flowers too quickly and they will drop off before they have fully opened. Other than that, they seem to be fairly trouble free. What a lovely present!
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Just looked at the RHS list (thanks SITN) but although there are chalk loving plants it seems that even they don't like it where the top soil is very shallow, which mine is. So it looks like I am going to have to dig it out after all.
I still won't risk the camellia there though.
thanks