Grow well in a variety of soil conditions including clay, chalk and even sand. When grown in open ground they only require watering in extremely dry conditions. Mahonia tolerate neglect well mainly because their nutrient requirements are low and they grow well with minimal pruning.Click to see full answer. In this manner, how do you plant Mahonia?Planting a Mahonia is easy; soak the root ball in water for 20mins and dig a hole about twice the size of the plant. Place in centre so that the top of the plant in the pot is level with the soil; back fill with good peat free compost firm in and water again.Secondly, why are my mahonia leaves turning yellow? Drought and too much water both curl and brown mahonia foliage. Without an adjustment to the watering schedule, the shrubs may drop their leaves. Leaf scorch threatens mahonias in too much sun or wind, blemishing the leaves with the greatest exposure with irregular yellow or brown areas. Subsequently, question is, can Mahonia be grown in pots? Mahonia does not grow well in pots or containers, and should be planted out into the garden border into its final position when bought.Are mahonia leaves poisonous?Although edible, the plants contain berberine, a compound found in many Berberis and Mahonia species, which can cause vomiting, lowered blood pressure, reduced heart rate, lethargy, and other ill effects when consumed in large quantities.