Does anyone have any good tips/experiences on planting Daphone Odora here in Vancouver BC? I tried to grow it twice in front of my garage: an acidic soil area (mixture of sand, organic soil, peat moss, and a bit of mulch), facing north and receives approx 4 to 6 hours of sun per day. It was doing well (growing new leafs) for a month then going downhill afterwards. Is it because of my soil drainage problem? Any suggestions? Thank you.
Yes, like many other shrubs daphnes get root rot if soil conditions are not perfect. Adverse soil conditions (chronic infertility, impeded drainage, recurring severe drought etc.) are one of the reasons large areas in many regions of the world are vegetated by the same small set of more tolerant trees and shrubs, and many cultivated species are not widespread in the wild. If you have a dampness problem you do not want to plant in amended back-fill as that can make the planting hole, pit or small bed a collection point for water. Instead refill planting holes with the same soil that came out of the hole, without textural modification. If an existing soil is fundamentally unsuitable for a particular type of plant then the soil must be removed and replaced, or in the case of inadequate drainage a system must be installed to drain the water off. Or you must plant in better soil placed on top of the damp soil, so that the plant is above the zone of wetness. Or plant that particular kind of plant on a different part of the property, that does drain adequately or is otherwise suitable. When an entire lot does not appear to lend itself and berms or raised beds are not feasible then it may be necessary to use planter boxes or tubs.
