Leucothoe Scarletta

After back filling and lightly compacting the 50/50 mix of existing soil and compost give the Leucothoe Scarletta a good deep watering. This is not to be rushed. Most of the water you put on the plant at first will run away from the plant until the soil is soaked. A general rule of thumb is to count to 5 for every one gallon of pot size. For example a one gallon pot would be watered until you count to 5 a three gallon pot would be 15 and so on. Check the plant daily for the first week or so and then every other day there after. Water using the counting method for the first few weeks. You’ll want to water the bushes regularly after planting until they’ve been well established. We like to tell folks that when watering Leucothoe Scarletta or any plant for that matter its best not to water the foliage of the plant. Water at the base of the plant near the soil line only. Gator bag Jr. can be used to help aid in this process and also provide plants with a good soaking due to the slow release of the water into the root-zone of the plant. Soaker Hoses can also be used to water when planting a long hedge.

Coffee grounds that have already gone through the brewing process are considered moderately to highly acidic. Coffee grounds provide a natural means of maintaining the low pH levels azaleas prefer, particularly if alkalinity is a concern. However, soil pH has a tendency to change because cultural conditions change daily. For the most accurate results, home gardeners should retest their balanced soil with an at-home soil pH kit immediately before applying amendments. If soil is already at the lowest end of the acidity range, the use of coffee grounds is unnecessary. However, if pH has risen, the grounds help decrease that number. In addition, coffee grounds may help suppress fungal plant diseases, according to the Washington State University Puyallup Research & Extension. Because applying coffee grounds to the soil beneath azaleas is not yet a specific science and because the texture may be too heavy and compact for use on soil, gardeners should consider adding it to compost instead. However, "the Environmental Protection Agency suggests adding no more than 25 percent volume coffee grounds" to compost, notes Purdue University Extension Horticulturist B. Rosie Lerner. Because Leucothoe thrive in soil mulched with organic content, such as compost, employing the use of coffee-laden mulch is a worthwhile venture. Gardeners should apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of compost onto the soil surrounding the Leucothoe Scarletta plant without pressing it against stems. Mulch conserves moisture and deters weed growth.

We highly recommend that you mulch your Leucothoe Scarletta with either a ground hardwood mulch or a ground cypress mulch depending on your local availability. Any type of mulch will do but cypress or hardwood mulch will be of a higher quality and provide better nutrition overall as they breakdown. Mulching helps to keep weeds away which will compete with your new investment for water and nutrients. A 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch is sufficient but remember to take care not to cover any part of the stem of the plant with mulch. Its better to leave a one inch gap of space between the mulch and the stem or trunk of the plant. This is also a plant that will respond well to mulching with pine Needles (if available in your area). This will help maintain the acidic condition that azaleas thrive in.

In general gardening terms, pruning is probably the most misunderstood gardening chore, and certainly, the chore that is most likely neglected. When we specifically look at pruning with regards to Leucothoe, this misunderstanding and negligence can be magnified. Pruning has been described as a “combination of art and science.” I personally find pruning to be one of the most relaxing yet rewarding chores in the garden. Pruning a specific plant to look a specific way, involves art in creating a unique definition for a specific plant, and it involves science in understanding the physical growing habits of the plant to be pruned. The most important reason for pruning Leucothoe is to improve the overall health of the plant which in turn will reward you with a flush of new growth. Removing the dead and dying limbs will minimize the possibility of diseases such as “die back” and will also allow the plant to re-concentrate its energies and produce many more foliage. Another reason for pruning Leucothoe such as Leucothoe Scarletta is to re-define the plant’s definition within the landscape. Many times, a plant may outgrow its intended size in the landscape, and must be pruned to re-define its purpose. Pruning should always be associated with re-invigorating a plant by allowing it to focus its energies on producing more vigorous branches, foliage, and flowers. It is important to always use sharp tools when pruning Leucothoe or any plant for that matter. Knives, hand cutters, saws, and shears should be sharpened if necessary before pruning any plants. A sharp cut will heal quicker than a jagged cut, which will also minimize the likelihood of disease investing a cut during pruning. It is generally recommended to not use power equipment such as gas hedgers to prune Leucothoe or any plant in my opinion.

Nursery pot sizes are called gallon sizes. You’ll see one-gallon, two-gallon, etc. This can be misleading to gardeners as a one-gallon pot would lead you to believe that the pot would hold one gallon of milk. This is not the case. Gallon is just a term of reference leftover from the days of nurseries growing plants in metal containers.

• 1-gallon (#1) pot for example, can hold 3 quarts of soil yet they are still considered a 1-gallon pot.
• 2-gallon (#2) pot holds 1.5 gallons of soil
• 3-gallon (#3) pot holds 2.9 gallons of soil
• 5-gallon (#5) pot holds 4.9 gallons of soil

What you actually should be concerned with is the dimensions of the pot rather than capacity because let’s face it the size of the hole you dig is dependent on the dimensions, not the capacity.

These are approximate measurements and dimensions vary from manufacturer to manufacturer but all dimensions fall in the following specifications.

• 1 Gallon Pot - 6.5 to 7.5 inches wide by 7 to 8 inches deep
• 2 Gallon Pot - 8.5 to 9.5 inches wide by 8 to 9 inches deep
• 3 Gallon Pot - 10.5 to 11.5 inches wide by 9.5 to 10.5 inches deep
• 5 Gallon Pot - 12 to 13 inches wide by 11 to 12.5 inches deep

These are approximate measurements and they do vary from supplier to supplier.