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Water the root zone. Feed with a general purpose fertilizer. Prune during dormancy. Protect the plant with mulch. Watch out for fungal diseases and other problems.

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When watering your photinia shrub, use a watering can to apply water directly to the soil. Do not allow any water to get on the leaves, flowers, berries, or stems.  Wet leaves are more likely to become infected with leaf spot or other fungal diseases. Photinia do best when watered regularly, but established shrubs can tolerate mild drought. As a general rule, make sure that each photinia plant receives at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water on a weekly basis. Provide more or less water as needed depending on the health of your plant. Yellowing leaves usually indicate an over-watered plant. Wilted leaves can indicate an under-watered plant. Apply a balanced fertilizer in the spring to encourage new growth.  A “balanced” fertilizer contains equal parts nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Do not fertilize photinia in the summer. Doing so can promote new growth late in the season. New growth that appears later in the season will be weaker against disease and frost. The exact amount of fertilizer needed will vary on the type and brand you choose, so follow the label instructions to determine the proper dosage. Usually, you should apply fertilizer in the early morning or evening after watering the plant. Yearly pruning is vital since good air circulation is required for the long-term health of the plant. Prune once at the beginning of winter and once more at the start of spring.  Avoid pruning the plant during the active growing season. New growth is weaker and more likely to fall victim to leaf spot and other diseases. In the winter, remove any diseased, damaged, or dead wood. Look for crowded areas and remove the weakest and most poorly positioned branches within those areas. Thinning the plant out improves air circulation and reduces the risk of disease. In the spring, do some light pruning after the red growth begins to fade to encourage new growth. Remove the tips of new shoots as they first appear, cutting them just above an outward facing bud. Remove any infected plant material or fallen leaves as soon as you spot them. Do not wait until a winter or spring pruning to do so. Spread approximately 2 inches (5 cm) of organic mulch around the bottom of the photinia plant. Do this once in early to mid spring and once more in late autumn.  Always rake away any old mulch and debris before applying new mulch. Autumn mulch protects the plant against frost and other winter injury. Spring mulch keeps the soil adequately moist and minimizes potential weed problems. Entomosporium leaf spot is the most common problem faced by photinia plants. As soon as you see early signs of leaf spot, you should treat the shrub with an appropriate fungicide.  Entomosporium leaf spot can be identified in it early stages by a splattering of small red spots over the upper and lower surfaces of new leaves. These spots gradually spread and deepen in color as the disease progresses. Choose a fungicide labeled for use against leaf spot. Formulas containing chlorothalonil, propiconazole, or myclobutanil are usually best. Photinia plants are weak against several other diseases, too. These include mildew, leaf spots, and fireblight. Scale insects can also cause problems. Each of these issues should be treated with an appropriate fungicide or pesticide as soon as they are noticed. Apply your chosen fungicide (or pesticide) directly to diseased areas and new growth. Re-apply every 7 to 14 days until the problem disappears. Never apply fungicides and pesticides during hot, dry weather. For best results, apply the chemical in the early morning (before the heat of the afternoon sets in) or in the evening.