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Valery Prokhorov 02.25.2014 | 11446
If there is a shortage nutrients in rhododendrons, the color of the leaves becomes light green, their shine decreases, and the shoots become yellowish-green. In addition, the annual growth of plants is significantly reduced; flower buds, and in August and early September leaves fall intensively. How to deal with this disease?
The mineral nutrition of rhododendrons is largely determined by the peculiarity of their root system - the presence of mycorrhiza. It promotes not only the normal growth of plants on very acidic, element-poor mineral nutrition soils, but also the germination of their seeds. At the same time, acidic soil is required for its normal functioning.
Due to the presence of mycorrhiza, you cannot use and chlorine fertilizers, because chlorine kills it. For the same reason, plants should not be fed with fertilizers of a high concentration of nutrient solution.
Therefore, when such signs appear, you must first pay attention to the acidity of the soil, and if it is within 4.5-5.5 pH (ideally 4.7), optimize the diet.
Soil acidity can be increased by adding acidic sphagnum peat or heather soil. Accordingly, when growing rhododendrons, you cannot add lime, dolomite flour and any fertilizers that alkalize the soil. With a strong change in pH towards the alkaline side, yellow spots(chlorosis).
Feeding. Important Feature rhododendrons - very compact root system. Therefore, plants need good drainage, loose soil rich in humus, with good aeration. If in the first years, with a well-filled planting pit, rhododendron develops normally, then in subsequent years (with complete absence fertilizing or lack thereof, the reserves of nutrients are depleted and the acidity of the soil decreases), its decorative effect decreases, and the plant may even die.
You need to feed in early spring and after flowering during intensive growth young shoots. At the end of July, feeding is stopped, since the heat and humidity of the soil and air can provoke secondary growth of shoots that do not have time to complete growth.
And in the fall, even with the first light frosts, they freeze slightly. You can stop it by spraying the crown with a 1% solution of potassium sulfate K2SO4 or monosubstituted potassium phosphate KHPO4. Before any fertilizing, plants need to be watered abundantly. Organic fertilizers. Organic matter must be added in liquid, diluted form. The manure is diluted (1:15-20) and left for several days. In spring or autumn, humus can be spread out in a layer of up to 5 cm near the bush. Together with melt or rainwater, nutrients will enter the soil layer where the root system is located. In this case, they arrive over a long period of time and are therefore most fully absorbed by rhododendrons.
Mineral fertilizers. There are mineral fertilizers for rhododendrons. If they are absent, you can add ammonium nitrate (10-15 g/l) in early spring; before budding - complex fertilizer; at the end of August to increase winter hardiness - fertilizers that do not contain nitrogen. The ratio of mineral fertilizers and water used for fertilizing is 1-2:1000 (solution potash fertilizers should be even weaker).
Sometimes (usually clay soils) leaves may also turn yellow as a result of the preferential entry of aluminum ions into plants instead of iron. Watering 2-3 times in summer with iron chelate usually restores the green color.
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Very popular decorative in the West garden plant- rhododendron - began to win the hearts of Russian summer residents. This is truly extraordinary spectacular shrub(less often small tree), the flowers of which can compete even with roses in beauty. There are simply a huge number of varieties of rhododendrons. Most of them are preferably planted in the garden in April. Read on to learn how this operation is performed, as well as what it means to care for rhododendrons in the spring.
Varieties of rhododendrons
This ornamental plant belongs to the heather genus. It prefers a humid, temperate climate. There are three main varieties of rhododendrons: deciduous, semi-evergreen and evergreen. The methods of caring for them are practically no different. All three species are well suited for the Russian climate. The only thing when choosing seedlings is to pay attention to the degree of their frost resistance. For gardens and vegetable gardens, it is worth purchasing only those varieties that can withstand temperatures down to -30 ... -34 o C.
Planting material
Before we start figuring out how to plant rhododendron in the spring, let's figure out how to choose the right variety. Most often, Russian gardeners grow rhododendrons of the series on their plots Northern Lights, Rustica and KnapHill-Exbury. It also suits our climate very well Japanese look this bush. Great solution There will also be a choice of almost any variety of Finnish selection. Dutch rhododendrons are practically unsuitable for the Russian climate.
Quite often in the gardens of domestic owners of suburban areas you can see plants from the group of Katevbinsky hybrids. The flowers of such rhododendrons are not too large and not particularly bright. However, there are a lot of them blooming on the branches. The bushes can reach a diameter of 1.4 m and a height of 4 m. The main advantage of such rhododendrons is their unpretentiousness and resistance to low temperatures.
Landing area
The question of how to properly plant a rhododendron in the spring also comes down to choosing the most suitable site for it. When deciding where exactly this plant will grow, you need to take into account the fact that these plants:
- They do not tolerate direct sunlight. This is especially true for evergreen varieties.
- They love acidic soils. On neutral rhododendrons will get sick and will not give abundant flowering. These plants categorically cannot tolerate alkaline soils. No amount of care, even the most thorough care of rhododendrons in spring, summer and autumn, will give results in this case.
- They grow well in moist soils, but do not tolerate stagnant water.
- They can freeze if in winter the surface of the earth above the roots is not covered with a thick layer of snow.
Thus, in order for the plant to feel comfortable on the site, planting rhododendron in the spring or at any other time of the year should be done under spreading crowns tall trees, in a flood-proof place with high snow cover in winter period time. Very often these ornamental bushes are also placed next to the fence. You should not choose an open place or corner of the house for planting rhododendron. This strong wind ornamental shrub also can't stand it.
By choosing the right site, you can grow lush beautiful bushes with bright, eye-catching colors that don’t cause any extra hassle. If the place was initially chosen poorly, you should not be upset. You can always perform a procedure such as rhododendron transplantation. It is best to do this in the spring. But you can move the bush in the fall and even in the summer. Rhododendrons withstand transplantation very well.
Preparatory work
Under the purchased seedlings in the selected area, dig a hole 40 cm deep and 70 cm wide. Drainage is laid at its bottom. In very dry areas, sometimes the hole for the rhododendron, on the contrary, is lined with a thin layer of clay, which allows moisture to be retained at the roots.
Regular garden soil is completely unsuitable for these plants. The soil removed from the pit is removed. Instead, use a mixture of completely decomposed cow dung(3:1). In this case, the question of how and what to fertilize rhododendrons in the spring will not confront the owners of the site in the first 2-3 years. No fertilizing is required.
You can also use a mixture of blueberries, half-rotted pine litter, coarse sand and leaf soil (1:3:1:1) to fill the roots. To increase the nutritional value of the soil in the latter case, when planting, it is advisable to add a bucket of decomposed compost to the hole.
How to plant rhododendron in spring
If the seedling was purchased in a container, it is lowered for a day in warm water. This is to ensure that the root ball gets wet. Some sellers plant rhododendrons in containers that are too small. In this case, a dense crust of dead roots forms on the surface of the coma on all sides. It must be removed or at least cut in several places. Otherwise, young roots will not break through it, and the plant will receive few nutrients.
The actual planting of rhododendron in the spring is done as follows:
- The plant is lowered into the prepared hole.
- Backfilling is done in such a way that its root collar is slightly above the soil surface.
- The rhododendron planted in this way is mulched with peat or pine needles and watered abundantly.
Second landing method
So, we have found out how to properly plant rhododendron in the spring. The technique described above is used by Russian gardeners quite often. However she has one significant drawback. The soil under rhododendrons, in contact with the adjacent soil, as a result of various natural processes, begins to leach over time. And this is very harmful for plants. It is necessary to either take any measures to acidify the soil, or even perform an operation such as replanting rhododendron (in spring or autumn). Therefore, owners of summer cottages often arrange special high beds for rhododendrons. In the selected area, the soil is removed to a depth of 30 cm. Next, wooden sides are installed along the perimeter of the hole. Small pebbles are poured onto the bottom of the resulting “box” for drainage. Most high bed fill with prepared acidic soil mixture. The actual planting is done in the usual way.
When to fertilize
Now let's figure out what to feed rhododendrons in the spring. This ornamental shrub needs to be fertilized very carefully. The first time feeding is done at the 2-3rd year of the plant’s life. Early in the spring, a mixture of ammonium and potassium sulfates with superphosphate is added to the tree trunk circle at a ratio of 2:1:1. On square meter Approximately 80 g of this fertilizer should be used. Old plantings can be additionally fertilized with organic matter. It is best to use rotted manure or compost in the amount of one bucket per bush. Most experienced gardeners do not recommend fertilizing rhododendrons with mullein.
Additional feeding
At the end of May - beginning of June, the second feeding of rhododendrons is carried out. In the spring, therefore, the bushes are fertilized twice. The second time, the same mineral mixture is used, but in smaller quantities (about half).
The next time fertilizers are applied to the soil is in the summer - in July. In this case, phosphorus-potassium fertilizing is also used in summer and is not used in autumn. Such fertilizers cause increased shoot growth due to the development of flower buds.
Caring for rhododendrons in spring
Remove the cover from rhododendrons after overwintering immediately after the outside temperature reaches above zero. This operation must be performed on a cloudy day. Immediately expose the shoots of this ornamental plant It is not allowed under the sun's rays. It is advisable to even leave the shelter on the south side for a while.
In order for the earth to thaw and the roots to begin to intensively absorb nutrients, the mulch from the tree trunk needs to be raked out. It is impossible to allow melt water to linger at the trunk for a long time. It also definitely needs to be raked out. Next, according to the method described above, rhododendrons are fed. In the spring, after the melt water has subsided, the plants begin to be watered periodically. In this case, you should use only warm water heated in the sun.
Rhododendrons are usually not pruned in the spring, since they do not tolerate this operation very well. If you want to give the bush a round or oval shape, branches in in the right places shortened in two seasons - in the first year on the one hand, in the second - on the other.
In evergreen varieties, some leaves may turn brown after wintering. They need to be removed because they will not be restored. Frozen shoots are also cut off.
Rhododendrons are quite hardy plants, and even if it seems to you that the bush is completely frozen, you should not rush to remove it. The plant needs to be watered abundantly for some time. And then, quite possibly, new shoots will appear on it. Most unpretentious varieties after an unsuccessful wintering, they fully recover by autumn. You already know how to feed rhododendrons in the spring. Apply some mineral fertilizers under the bush. This will help him gain strength and cope with the damage.
Features of watering
Thus, caring for rhododendrons in spring consists of: abundant feeding and watering. The last operation should be carried out correctly. If the soil under rhododendrons is constantly moistened with ordinary water, after a few years it will begin to leach. To prevent this, use (half a glass per bucket) or citric acid(4 g). On hot spring days, plants need not only to be watered, but also sprayed.
Transfer to a new place
Sometimes it happens that for some reason the plant withers and does not bloom well. In this case, you can try to move it to a more appropriate place. The question of how to replant rhododendron in the spring is not at all complicated. This procedure is performed like this:
- The plant is dug up from all sides, trying not to damage the roots.
- Take out the bush and transfer it to a pre-prepared hole.
- Sprinkle the roots with an acidic soil mixture so that the neck remains on the surface.
- Mulch the plant, water it and shade it on the south side.
If everything is done carefully, the rhododendrons may not even notice the transplant.
So, we have found out how to care for a plant such as rhododendron in the spring. Feeding, pruning and watering are mandatory procedures at this time of year. This plant is not particularly whimsical, but it is still necessary to follow certain rules when growing it. If you do not violate the required technologies (properly prepare the soil, apply fertilizers on time and irrigate with acidified water), the bushes will delight the eyes of the owners of the site lush flowering long years.
The rhododendron plant comes from the Heather family. Translated, the name rhododendron means rose tree. This is a fairly well-known plant for growing at home, and the common people call it indoor rhododendron.
General information
The plant is distributed in the Northern Hemisphere. Less common in Japan, Asia, North America. In the Ukrainian expanses, this plant grows in the subalpine zone, and only Carpathian rhododendron. But only there they call it in their own way “Chervona Ruta”. This species is listed in the Red Book.
The rhododendron flower grows in nature both in groups and as single individuals. It is found on mountain slopes in swampy areas and in the tundra.
Rhododendron is an almost evergreen shrubby plant or trees. The height of miniature species ranges from 10 cm to one meter, and there are exceptions whose height is about 30 meters.
The leaves of the plant vary in shape and size. The foliage is arranged in a spiral shape. The leaf shape is an oblong oval with slight pubescence. Inflorescences are presented in racemes or corymbs, sometimes singly. The corolla has a sunny or pinkish tint.
The fruits are formed in the form of capsules with many seeds. There are about 1,300 plant species in the natural environment.
Varieties and types
This is a deciduous species, reaching a height of up to 2 meters. The shoots of the plant are directed upward. The ellipse-shaped foliage is about 4 cm in length and up to 1.5 cm in width. Inflorescences solitary, delicate violet shade. Flowering begins in mid-summer, after the leaves have fully appeared.
Accelerating bush. The height of this species is about 3 meters. The foliage is oblong, about 12 cm long. The inflorescences are represented by up to 10 flowers in racemes and have a pleasant aroma. Flowering occurs at the end of spring.
This is an evergreen bush with many leaves, reaching a height of 4 meters, but to a greater extent the width of the bush exceeds its height. The shape of the leaf is in the form of an ellipse, about 15 cm long. There are up to 20 flowers in the racemes. The corolla of the flower is purple. Flowering begins at the end of spring.
The accelerating species is about two meters in height. The leaves are shaped like maple leaves and are found at the ends of the stems. The inflorescences are pale pink with splashes, the flower diameter is about 10 cm.
This is a bush, about 2 meters tall. The shape of the bush is decomposed. The foliage is elongated, about 10 cm in length, slightly pubescent. IN autumn period has a yellowish-red tint. The inflorescences are scarlet in a sunny shade, about 8 cm in diameter with pleasant aroma. Flowering begins in the last month of spring. Flowering duration is more than a month.
Quite common. Due to the abundance of flowers, leaves are almost completely invisible. Height is about one meter. Inflorescences are bell-shaped. The color of the flower is scarlet, yellow or pink.
This is a small bush up to half a meter in height. Adults of the plant have a dark gray bark tint. The leaves of the species are elongated with a rounded end. Young individuals have an individually pleasant, but more pungent aroma.
The inflorescences of the species have a light pink tint and have no aroma. There are about 15 flowers in the racemes. Flowering lasts throughout the summer.
Height is about 1 meter 20 centimeters. With a brown tint to the bark. The shoots are more accelerating in nature.
The foliage is oblong and oval shaped. The inside of the leaf is covered with hairs. The flowers are clustered in corymbs of about 8 pieces. The diameter of the inflorescence is about 3 cm. The shade of the petals is light or pale pink. It blooms in spring and is a good honey plant. The hybrid species is quite demanding in care and planting.
Not a large shrub. The shoots are spreading. The foliage is alternate, about 8 cm long, the surface of the leaf is olive in color, and the inside is a less clear shade. Inflorescences on high stalks, about 5 flowers on one. After flowering, a fruit capsule with small seeds is formed. The aroma of the plant is similar to that of fresh strawberries.
Not volumetric tree shaped like a ball. The foliage is narrowed, dense, glossy on the outside. The leaves have a dark olive hue on the outside, and on the inside they have a chocolate hue with small fibers.
The inflorescences are about 7 cm in diameter. Beginning flowering, the petals have a pale pink tint, and by the end they acquire a rich White color. Flowering begins towards the end of spring.
Has a spherical bush. A hybrid plant from Rhododendron katevsbinsky. The species was developed in 1851. The height of the plant is about 3 meters. The foliage is medium sized and elliptical in shape. Inflorescences with a pink tint and purple spots. Flowering begins in late spring and lasts about a month.
Rhododendron planting and care
The planting location should be slightly shaded. Preferably the northern part. It is preferable to plant rhododendron in early spring, in the first months of spring.
Rhododendron is transplanted in the fall before the onset of frost. Also, replanting can be done at any necessary period, only a month before flowering, or after the plant has flowered in a few weeks.
Soil for rhododendrons
The soil for planting should be light, loose with a good drainage layer. It is important that the soil is acidic and with sufficient fertilizer. High-moor peat is suitable and loamy soil in a ratio of 8:3.
It is necessary to avoid stagnation of moisture, otherwise the plant will die. The plant must be planted in a prepared hole about half a meter in diameter and the same depth.
To acidify the soil for rhododendrons. It is necessary to add recycled sawdust from coniferous trees or rotted pine needles.
At home, you can check whether your soil needs acidification. To do this, you will need to pour boiling water over currant or cherry leaves, and when the water has cooled, throw in a little earth. If the water changes color to blue, then the soil needs acidification, if it is red, then it is normal. And if the color changes to green, then the soil is neutral.
Caring for the plant does not require special skills, you just need to loosen the soil and remove weeds in time.
Watering rhododendrons
It is preferable to provide moderate moisture to the plant. Water must be settled or, if possible, rainwater. The soil should be moist to 30 cm deep. You can determine whether watering is necessary by appearance foliage, if they become faded and dull, then moisturizing is necessary.
Rhododendron loves fairly humidified air, about 65%, so it requires frequent spraying of the leaves.
Fertilizer for rhododendrons
The plant should be fertilized from early spring until flowering ends in mid-summer. Fertilize with cow liquid manure along with water in a ratio of 1:15. Before fertilizing, the plant must be watered.
The most practical option fertilizer is used in early spring with mineral and organic complex fertilizers. During flowering with cow dung.
Autumn fertilizers for rhododendrons are necessary after flowering. Phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are suitable for this.
Pruning rhododendrons
The plant needs to be trimmed if necessary to create the desired shape. Pruning is done in early spring, before growing season. Dry shoots are cut off and old branches, about 4 cm thick, are rejuvenated.
Plants that have not overwintered well or are outdated must be completely rejuvenated by cutting off all shoots at a height of about 30 cm from the ground.
Sheltering rhododendrons for the winter
It is necessary to cover the plant if you have hot and frosty winters. To do this, the bush is covered with dry leaves and sawdust. And the shoots themselves are covered with spruce branches and insulated with burlap.
Insulation must be removed after the snow melts in early spring.
Propagation of rhododendrons by cuttings
To do this, cut cuttings from adults. large plants about 8 cm long. Place them in a growth stimulator for half a day. And then they are planted in a mixture of peat and sand in a ratio of 3:1, then covered with cellophane, making a greenhouse.
Periodically opening for watering and ventilation. Rooting occurs up to 4.5 months. After rooting, the cuttings are transplanted into a mixture of peat and pine needles.
Reproduction of rhododendrons by layering
To do this, in the spring, dig a young shoot into a small hole about 16 cm deep and sprinkle it with soil, within summer period water, and when rooting occurs, replant separately.
Rhododendron propagation by seeds
The seeds must be sown in a container with prepared peat to a depth of about a centimeter. Cover the container with glass and periodically ventilate and moisten the soil. The temperature required for seed germination is about 15 degrees.
There is an opinion that caring for rhododendron is quite difficult, and the shrub itself is capricious, so not everyone will grow it in a moderately cold climate. And only after getting to know this amazing and beautiful plant, you understand that it’s not a matter of complexity, but the specifics of culture. Rhododendron isn't complicated - it's just not like everyone else.
A rhododendron bush in bloom - such a beauty is worth the effort!
General requirements for the growing environment
It so happened that rhododendron is considered one of the elite of the flower and decorative kingdom. Having purchased such a valuable specimen, many strive to give it the best place in the garden - in the sun, with fertile soil generously seasoned with humus. Stereotypes come into play that have nothing to do with the real needs of the crop, and this is the main mistake of inexperienced gardeners.
IN natural conditions Most types of rhododendrons grow in the undergrowth, that is, in a special microclimate under the tree canopy, where they are reliably protected from the scorching sun, piercing winds, and drafts. When planting rhododendrons in the garden, they need to create growing conditions, focusing on the principles of life in the natural environment.
- Light is needed intense, but diffused. It is this lighting in the lower tiers of the forest, and it is this intensity of solar radiation that determines the structure of the leaves and the type of photosynthesis. Evergreen species are more sensitive to excess sun - in open space they get leaf burns.
- Acidic and well-drained soil. Under natural conditions, most of the root system (and in rhododendrons it is superficial) is located in the deciduous forest litter, consisting of rotted and fresh litter, humus, and podzolic soil. This medium is not very nutritious, has an acidic pH, but is saturated with air, which is important given the structure of the plant’s roots.
- Symbiosis with fungi is the basis of plant nutrition. The roots of rhododendron, like other members of the heather family, do not have root hairs. The role of supplier of nutrients from the soil to the tissue is performed by the mycelium of mycorrhiza - the simplest fungi that live directly in the cells of the plant. To prevent the mycelium from suffocating, you need constant influx air, so dense clay soils are absolutely unsuitable for heather crops.
- Increased soil and air humidity. Rhododendrons have a special attitude towards moisture - they suffer from both a lack of water and an excess, especially in cases of stagnation or flooding. The problem is solved by the correctly selected structure of the planting substrate, which must not only be filled with moisture and retain it, but also have sufficient aeration.
- Protection from winds and drafts. Many, including winter-hardy species that can tolerate temperatures of -30⁰ C and below, suffer from winter piercing winds and drafts. For protection, agrotechnical techniques are used - a protected place, shelter for the winter, planting in groups.
Thus, if rhododendrons are grown taking into account biological features, they will not create any problems and will delight their owners with magnificent flowering for decades.
Evergreen rhododendron in bloom
Correct selection and planting is the key to plant longevity
To prevent purchased rhododendrons from becoming a one-season crop, you should thoroughly prepare for receiving the plant. Agrotechnical measures preceding planting are conventionally divided into several stages - choice suitable variety, stocking components for the substrate, selecting a site.
Plant selection
Agricultural technology for planting and caring for rhododendron largely depends on the species. For those new to gardening, or if you are unsure of the temperature in your area, it is best to start with deciduous varieties. Firstly, they are more adapted to cold climates and do not require crown cover for the winter; secondly, they are not so demanding of moisture and can grow in open sun.
Among the deciduous shrubs, R. canadensis, Japanese, Daurian, Schlippenbach, yellow, and pink are suitable for the middle zone. Moreover, it is better to start with species rather than varieties - they are more viable and resistant to unfavorable conditions.
If you still choose evergreen rhododendrons, start with the Katevbinsky, Caucasian, Yakushimansky species or varieties and hybrids created on their genotype.
Important! When choosing planting material give preference to plants from local nurseries. Although they are not as attractive as those grown in the mild climate of Europe, they are hardened and adapted to the conditions of the region. The optimal age of the seedling is 3–4 years.
A properly selected variety overwinters well even without shelter.
Selecting a location
The most problematic areas of the garden, unsuitable for light-loving crops, are often suitable for growing rhododendrons - in the shade of trees, on the north, northwest side of buildings. The main thing is that it is secluded, protected from the prevailing winds and midday sun rays in the region.
When placing shrubs under trees, you need to choose varieties of the latter with a deep root system in order to delimit the feeding zones of the plants. Rhododendrons prefer to be grown next to pine trees, junipers, oaks, maples, and apple trees.
Substrate preparation
In our gardens, soil suitable for growing rhododendrons is quite rare, so the planting substrate should be prepared in advance. Necessary components for the soil mixture:
- high-moor (red peat) with an acidic pH;
- coniferous litter, consisting of half-decomposed needles, twigs, cones, mixed with humus and other plant debris;
- river sand or sandy soil (top fertile layer);
- rotted sawdust of coniferous trees.
The substrate is prepared from peat and pine litter in equal proportions with the addition of one part of garden soil or river sand. Needles can be replaced with sawdust, ordinary lowland peat can be acidified by adding sphagnum moss, acidic fertilizers, for example, potassium sulfate or ammonium. The main thing is that the substrate is light, breathable and acidic. If there is nowhere to get suitable ingredients for the substrate, you can purchase targeted soil for azaleas.
Important! One of the reasons why rhododendron does not bloom may be alkaline soil. Such an environment has a depressing effect on the plant - in addition to the fact that it does not bloom, it grows weakly, is attacked by pests, and chlorosis of the leaves develops.
Landing technology
Seedlings grown in containers are planted both in spring and autumn. IN spring period– it is advisable to do this before the start of active growing season, approximately in April. The autumn planting month is September, so that the plant has time to take root and adapt before the cold weather.
Mandatory agrotechnical requirement when planting shrubs, prepare a deep (at least 50 cm) and wide (60–70 cm) planting hole, which is filled with prepared substrate. It is carefully compacted and spilled with water.
Before planting, the seedling is immersed in water so that the earthen lump becomes limp, the roots are straightened and placed in the prepared hole. Another requirement is that under no circumstances should the root collar be buried; it should be at the same level as before transplantation.
After planting, the root zone must be mulched. Pine needles, rotted sawdust, leaves, and straw are suitable for these purposes. Their layer should be at least 5–7 cm thick. Mulch not only retains moisture, but also serves as a light organic fertilizer for rhododendrons.
The shrub loves group plantings - natural thickets reliably protect the shoots from winds and freezing. The distance between seedlings depends on the height of the adult shrub, but not less than 1 meter.
The planting hole is much larger than the size of the root ball - this is a reserve for growth and nutrition for many years to come
Seasons: seasonal concerns
For rhododendron, the specifics of care are determined by seasonal changes: in the spring - emergence from winter sleep and preparation for flowering, in the summer - care about the growth and formation of flowering buds for the next year, in the fall - preparation for winter.
Spring chores
When positive temperatures are established and there are no strong night frosts, the covering material is removed. This should be done in cloudy weather, in several stages, gradually opening the bush, first from the north, and a little later from the south. Leaves that have overwintered without access to light are sensitive to the bright spring sun and can get burned.
In the spring, rhododendron leaves remain curled for some time, not receiving an impulse from the roots, so the first thing to do is to start the work of the root system. To do this, mulch is raked away so that the soil thaws faster. If after a week the leaves are still curled, it means they have lost a lot of moisture and the root zone should be watered with warm water.
After the buds swell, the bush is inspected and frozen shoots and dried branches are removed. If the weather is dry, the plant must be watered at least 2-3 times a week before flowering. Watering rate is 10–15 liters per adult bush.
Important! Water for watering rhododendrons should have a pH level in the range of 4–5 units, otherwise it will alkalize the soil, which is undesirable. To acidify water, dissolve 3–4 g of citric, oxalic, acetic (70%) acid or 15–20 ml of battery electrolyte in 10 liters of liquid.
Spring is the only time of year when rhododendrons can be fed organic fertilizers. You can only use well-rotted manure; if possible, high-moor peat is added to it. A bucket of this mixture is poured into the tree trunk instead of mulch and watered abundantly.
How to feed rhododendrons in the spring if there is no organic matter? At the end of flowering, targeted fertilizing is effective complex fertilizers Kemira for azaleas (rhododendrons). It is completely balanced and, in addition to containing the necessary nutrients, acidifies the soil.
The evergreen rhododendron is about to open its bright buds
Summer care
After flowering, caring for rhododendron is aimed at replenishing strength for the growth of young shoots and the formation of flower buds. The plant needs the following agrotechnical measures.
- Regular, abundant watering and spraying of the crown with water at summer temperatures during the hottest hours.
- Removing the seed pods so that the bush does not waste energy on ripening the seeds, but directs them to young growth. This should be done in hot weather so that the injured shoot dries out immediately.
- If the plant was not fertilized with Kemira during flowering, June fertilizing with nitrogen-containing fertilizer, for example, ammonium nitrate (25–30 g per 10 liters of water) is needed. Nitrogen is needed for the growth of green shoots. Watering rate is 2 buckets of solution per adult bush.
- In addition to feeding rhododendrons in spring and June, some gardeners recommend fertilizing in the second half of July. By this time, the shoot has finished growing, its leaves become dense, leathery, and a flower bud appears at the top. Feeding at this time with a phosphorus-potassium composition guarantees abundant flowering next year.
Advice! For feeding in three doses - in early spring (100 g/m²), during flowering (100 g/m²) and in mid-July (50 g/m²) use the following universal composition of acidic fertilizers. Mix superphosphate (10 parts) and sulfates - ammonium (9), potassium (4), magnesium (2).
By the end of summer, a flower bud has formed at the top of each shoot - now the main thing is to preserve it until spring.
Preparing for winter
An important element of rhododendron care is proper preparation for winter.
An evergreen shrub must be very well saturated with moisture in winter so that it is enough for the long months of cold weather, so it is recommended to water it abundantly in the fall. Deciduous shrubs need watering only in dry weather.
Both deciduous and evergreen species need to cover the root system with a thick layer of mulch (up to 20 cm). The soil is covered in a near-trunk circle to the radius of the crown.
For shelter, a frame of wire or wooden slats is built around the bush - a sort of improvised wigwam. It is covered with spruce branches or covered with 2 layers of breathable covering material (burlap, lutrasil). Low-growing varieties are covered with fallen leaves and pine needles.
Covering an ornamental shrub with spruce branches
When growing rhododendrons, the main thing is to understand their nature, learn to recognize problems and needs by the condition and appearance of the bush. The plant is responsive not only to correct agricultural technology, but love and care and will definitely reciprocate.
Video about preparing rhododendrons for winter:
hRhododendron - luxurious and abundant flowering shrub, which needs to maintain decorativeness regular feeding. From my own experience, I will say that in addition to fertilizers, it requires a soil with a special structure that has an acidic pH.
How often and with what means should you feed rhododendron in spring and autumn so that it pleases you with its healthy appearance and lush flowering?
Unfortunately, the decorative period of many shrubs in our garden is not long enough, but there are several varieties of rhododendron that, if properly managed care will bloom from May to September.
To support the plant at this difficult summer stage, it is important to apply fertilizers in advance that will nourish root system and provide peduncles and green mass with important microelements.
Like any garden plant, rhododendron needs nitrogen in the spring, and sodium, phosphorus and potassium in summer and autumn. Experienced gardeners and nursery owners recommend using not standard complexes, such as superphosphate, but creating your own nutritional mixtures from the following preparations:
- potassium nitrate, phosphate or sulfate;
- calcium sulfate;
- magnesium sulfate or ammonium.
These preparations gently acidify the soil to pH values that are comfortable for rhododendron and constantly maintain the achieved level, preventing the ornamental shrub from getting sick. Combinations of substances are selected depending on seasonality and the purpose of feeding and are diluted in water according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Signs of element deficiency
The standard rate of complex and compound fertilizers for rhododendron is not always sufficient. In some cases, a plant may experience a pronounced deficiency of a particular mineral or suffer from an excess of unnecessary elements in the soil.
The need to add a certain element to rhododendron can be determined by specific signs:
- Potassium deficiency is indicated by a pronounced loss of shine in the foliage of ornamental shrubs and the appearance of brown areas on the edges of the blades.
- Rhododendron foliage turning yellow or faded in the spring may indicate a lack of nitrogen in the soil.
- A persistent lack of phosphorus and potassium leads to a delay in the development of shrubs, as well as to the fading of buds.
- If rhododendron grows on clay soils, even if the planting site is filled with the correct soil mixture, the ornamental shrub may suffer from an excess of aluminum ions. This problem manifests itself in persistent yellowing of the leaves, which does not respond to fertilizing. Watering will help correct the situation. trunk circle iron chelate solution.
It is imperative to eliminate mineral deficiency, even if the decorative period of rhododendron has already ended. Future flower stalks that will delight you next season are laid in July. By this moment, the soil near the root system should have enough elements important for the development of the ornamental shrub.
Rules for applying fertilizing
The root system of rhododendron is in a successful symbiosis with a special mycorrhiza fungus, which helps the shrub grow acidic soils and efficiently absorb nutrients.
In order not to destroy this useful “partner”, for fertilizing ornamental shrubs and watering it is necessary to select preparations and water without chlorine.
Another feature of the rhododendron root system is its relative compactness. The roots of the bush do not grow in different directions, like most plants; they form a small lump that “pumps out” from landing pit nutrients.
It is precisely because of this static nature of the root system that rhododendron needs a constant supply of fertilizers to the soil.
What else should you pay attention to when feeding ornamental shrubs?
- If the bush was planted according to all the rules, with a supply of nutrients, it does not need to be fertilized in the first year.
- Young plants are fed with fertilizers only in liquid form, so the bushes absorb the nutrition faster.
- Choose granular preparations of domestic production - most imported ones are created for use in warm climates: such spring fertilizing does not have time to dissolve in the soil in time, which leads to late stimulation of shoot growth. The latter do not have time to prepare for winter and freeze out.
- To feed rhododendrons, lime compounds are not used, which will contribute to alkalization of the soil. Use with caution wood ash, after adding it a week later, watering with acidified water is mandatory. If this is not done, the ornamental shrub will develop chlorosis.
- Do not overuse superphosphate - the combination of microelements in this preparation contributes to the gradual leaching of iron from the soil.
When preparing for rhododendron liquid fertilizers be sure to follow the manufacturer's recommendations mineral fertilizer proportions.
Spring feeding
Feeding rhododendron at the beginning of the season takes place in two stages: they serve to activate the growth of new shoots, stimulate budding and strengthen the root system.
- The very first feeding is carried out in early spring, when the bush wakes up after winter dormancy. In the south of Russia it is produced in mid-April, and in middle lane- in the beginning of May. During this period they are used as fertilizer ammonium nitrate or organic infusions (mullein, chicken manure, mown grass). These fertilizers enrich the soil with nitrogen, which is necessary for the growth of the bush.
- Second spring feeding produced 2 weeks after the first. At this stage, elements are introduced into the soil that will help the rhododendron maintain its decorative properties, forming a large number of buds. Most often, gardeners use Azofoska, which includes nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, or create their own effective potash-phosphorus fertilizer(20 g superphosphate + 20 g potassium sulfate + 40 g ammonium sulfate per 1 m2).
These two stages of fertilizing can be done in one day: you pour the first fertilizer on the rhododendron tree trunk, and 2 hours after the moisture has been absorbed, you scatter dry fertilizing.
The granules will gradually dissolve during watering or under the influence of precipitation and release elements important for bush growth and budding into the soil.
No less important for rhododendron summer care. You will learn how to feed ornamental shrubs after flowering has finished from the video:
Feeding in autumn
Rhododendron, like any perennial shrub, already from mid-August begins to gradually prepare for wintering. As air and soil temperatures decrease, as well as the length daylight hours the plant triggers the processes of reducing the production of growth hormones, increases the degree of production of inhibitors, and slows down the rate of metabolic processes.
By late autumn, rhododendrons that have prepared for winter should not have moisture in the cells of the above-ground part, otherwise they will not survive the frost.
In order for all these processes to be completed on time, the fertilizing applied from mid-summer should not contain growth-stimulating elements, in particular nitrogen.
In the fall, preparations with potassium and phosphorus will help rhododendron prepare for winter; nursery owners usually use potassium phosphate in combination with magnesium sulfate (20 g per 1 m2) for this purpose.
In the fall, you can also apply some of the spring fertilizers under the bushes:
- scatter 20 grams of superphosphate around the tree trunk;
- mulch the soil with a 5 cm layer of rotted manure;
- sprinkle the tree trunk circle with three-year-old compost;
- mulch the ground with dried cake from herbal infusion.
You can use products and preparations containing nitrogen only after the bush has completely entered a dormant state, that is, 2 weeks after frost sets in. If you do not have the opportunity to be on the site during this period, postpone this feeding until early autumn.
Rhododendron will enjoy autumn mulching of the tree trunk with materials that acidify the soil. You can use high-moor peat, fresh sawdust, pine bark or needles for this purpose.
A layer of 5-8 cm will serve as additional cover for the root system and will help the shrub survive frosts. In early spring The mulch should be temporarily removed to avoid retention of perched water and damping off of the roots.
Another interesting material for mulching rhododendrons - heather compost, which has been prepared for several years from pine needles, heather soil, dust, sphagnum, sand and high peat.
Its lime-free formula maintains comfortable soil acidity, and specific fungi help the root system receive nutrition. If you can't find heather compost for sale, you can go into the coniferous forest and remove the top layer of soil in the areas where blueberries, blueberries and lingonberries grow.
This “treat” for rhododendron can be applied not only in the fall - add nutritious soil every 2 weeks under the bush throughout the season - and it will definitely thank you with a long period of decorativeness.
