Miracle-Gro 119778 Eracacious Compost - Azelea, Camelia, Rhododendron - 10 Litre BAG, (New 2020 Range)

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Tap water, especially in hard water districts, contains too much calcium for rhododendrons, reducing acidity around their roots Rhododendrons are frost hardy in most of the UK with evergreens normally only requiring protection during severe winters. This can be achieved by wrapping a few layers of horticultural fleece around your plants. to a depth of about 12". Oak leaves are excellent. Make sure there are no walnut tree roots or leaves Here are 4 ways to use ericaceous compost to bring out the best in rhododendrons: Work Ericaceous Compost Into The Soil Before Planting

Rhododendrons grow best in areas of high rainfall. Even on suitably acid soils they are more difficult to grow successfully in the drier parts of the country Suppose your soil is naturally neutral or alkaline. In that case, you’ll need to lower its pH before you experience success growing rhododendrons. A popular way to make the soil more acidic is by regularly working in ericaceous compost. The right amount of fertilizer for your rhododendron bush is dependent upon the size, age, and health of the plant. It is absolutely critical not to over-fertilize your rhododendron plant as they are extremely sensitive. Too much fertilizer can result in damaged roots and leaves and could even cause the plant to wither and die. When applying the mulch to your rhododendrons, you’ll want to lay a light, even layer, all around the plant, leaving a bit of space at the trunk of the bush. It is crucial for rhododendrons to have some breathing space, so you don’t want to smother the bush with too much mulch. It has an acidic pH. Ericaceous compost’s pH (around 4.0 to 5.0) creates the acidic environment rhododendrons are so fond of.Powdery mildew shows as a white powdery coating on the leaves and stems of your plant. On rhododendrons, it is usually on the underside of the leaves and can be hard to detect but you may see pale patches on the surface of the leaves. Once the final freeze has thawed and you are heading into the warmer months, it is usually safe to start applying fertilizer. Your plant will welcome the extra nutrients after a cold winter, especially if it is a particularly dry one. Early Spring If you tried growing rhododendrons in neutral or alkaline soil, they’d likely develop a nutritional deficiency. This is because these shrubs can’t use iron and manganese in soils with pH levels of 7.0 and up.

Rather than fighting the soil in your garden to make it rhododendron-friendly, create ideal growing conditions for your shrubs in pots or containers.

What about growing rhododendrons indoors or as house plants?

Rhododendrons are a beautiful addition to any garden. With their lush foliage and large, colorful blossoms, they are one of the most popular options for an eye-catching landscape. Fertilizing your rhododendrons will keep the soil prosperous and ensure your blooms return vibrantly, year after year. If you’re working with a smaller-leaved variety of rhododendron, you should note that these plants require only about half of the above recommendations.

Rhododendrons are usually healthy and trouble free if they are planted in suitable conditions. Occasionally they may succumb to one of the following pests and diseases. Pests Only species rhododendrons come true from seed. Named cultivars must be propagated from semi-ripe cuttings, graftingor layering. If your shrubs require feeding, you not only need to know when and how to fertilize rhododendron bushes, but you’ll want to use the best fertilizer for rhododendrons. They require a complete food dressing at appropriate intervals.

used to lower soil pH are wettable sulfur or ferrous sulfate. Do not use aluminum sulfate to acidify the soil; https://www.bhg.com/gardening/trees-shrubs-vines/shrubs/why-are-the-leaves-on-my-rhododendron-rolling-up-and-wilting/

If any of these questions point out some potential deficiencies that you can correct without fertilizer, try to remedy the issue first before you apply fertilizer treatments. As stated, too much fertilizer can cause more harm than the good intended, so if it is unnecessary, you shouldn’t use it. Using Mulch to Fertilize Your Rhododendrons Cover your pots with a large plastic bag secured with an elastic band. Place them somewhere that is warm and sheltered but out of direct sunlight. Alternatively, they can be kept in a greenhouse or cold frame. You want to add plenty of acidic organic matter to the soil to give them the best possible start, consider items like composted pine needles or tree bark to provide the best possible growing conditions for your Rhododendron. When you do this you want to mix it well into the existing soil. Do not mix in normal compost because this isn’t acidic and if you mix compost into the soil or use it as a mulch, ensure you use ericaceous compost. Planting This is a creamy white wingless insect that lives on the underside of the leaves. The bugs do little damage to the plants foliage; however, the females lay eggs in the buds and this is thought to lead to allow a fungal disease to infect the buds. This disease is known as bud blast and is discussed in the diseases section that follows. There are insecticides that will help to control this bug. They will need to be applied repeatedly to break the life cycle and shouldn’t be used when the plant is in flower as they can harm pollinating insects. DiseasesRhododendron plants are adapted for a wide range of garden conditions and add a great touch of early spring color to the landscape.