[Mikeod]

A few years ago I had a company re-configure my landscaping and they included some azaleas and camellias that looked nice for a few months. Then I watched them slowly decline until I had to take them out. The company nicely replaced them (actually twice) but the new ones followed the same pattern. After discussing this with someone at the nursery, I tried using the same fertilizer they use, tried some spray for thrips, and tried mulching around them with some peat moss added. After still seeing them slowly go bad, I tried a pH reducing solution in the watering to try to neutralize at least the alkaline soil I believed they were planted in. And now they are doing better, not exactly thriving, but not dying.

So, I am re-doing more of the yard and would like to add more acid loving plants. But I would like to avoid the past problems by giving them a planting medium that addresses soil pH immediately rather than later. I know there are experienced people out there. What do you suggest?

Thanks.