Can you bury a pot in the soil?

Hi.

I have recently had my garden re-landscaped. We have created some sleeper raised beds and had them filled with imported top soil.

I have inherited a lovely rhododendron from my late father which has been in a large pot for probably around 10 years. It is a slow growing variety and is the ideal size to put in my new raised beds.

I tested the soil in the pot and got a ph of 6 and in the soil varied between 6.5 and 7.5. I went and bought 200l of ericaceous compost and planted the plant.

However, as it was my fathers, it has sentimental value and it is also such a lovely plant that I am sure I would have to pay a pretty penny for it if I bought one at the garden centre.

I am afraid it is not going to take to its new home and I would be so upset if I killed it. So I will keep a close eye on it. The spot where I have planted it is perfect and it looks so much better than it did in the pot.

The questions I have are:

If it starts to get sick because the soil ph is not right, could I dig it up, plant it in a large plastic container with 100% ericaceous compost and then bury it in the soil with more compost over the top to give it the appearance it is planted, albeit it is still in its pot?

2. As I dug down when planting, I got to the old paving slabs from the old patio and then to around 10" of building sand. Under that was solid chalk. We live in a chalky area and for that reason I never before planted the shrub. But with the new top soil in the raised beds + the acidic compost, I decided to go for it. I put about two 35litre bags of compost at the bottom of the hole mixed with about 50% top soil. I guess in time the plants roots may find their way down to the sand and chalk layer. Will it at this point die or as long as I keep my top soil (about 20") topped up with acid compost, will the plant be ok?

Thanks.

 

I doubt the Rhododendron will like pH 65.-75., particularly if there is chalk below.

You should have no problem "plunging" it, in its pot, in the ground. Make sure you only water it with rain water, and you will have to water it pretty much the same as if it was stood on your patio. it may need a little less water, plunged in the ground, but if so it probably won't be much less

 

Plus keep giving it a mulch with Ericaceous compost You could also sink a small pot in the ground next to it and pin down one of the lower shoots and maybe get a cutting

 

Submerging pots/containers is a good idea for anything that is established, also if you want to grow anything that can be rampant for instance some of the rockery campanula or mint as they won't spread out take over your beds.