How to feed rhododendron during flowering. Rhododendron: Seasonal Care

A plant of the heather family, well known to lovers of flower growing in courtyard flowerbeds, summer cottages or homestead plots, is rhododendron. The genus unites about six hundred species, most of them are evergreen or deciduous shrubs, although there are also small trees. The now popular azaleas are a subspecies of rhododendrons. In recent years, they have been widely used in greenhouse and indoor floriculture.

Spring care

Florists love rhododendrons, because these flowers do not require too much attention. Proper planting will allow the plant to take root and grow well. In the list of care activities:

• spraying;
• watering;
• top dressing.

For the successful growth and development of the plant, top dressing is essential, both to young and old rhododendrons. Only in this case, the plant will delight the owners with beautiful healthy green leaves and bright lush flowers.

A few tips for feeding. Firstly, it is best to apply fertilizers in liquid form. This will ensure speedy delivery and better absorption of minerals and nutrients. Secondly, top dressing is required in the first year, when the plant is being formed. Thirdly, rhododendron can signal the owner of a lack of minerals. Signs - lightening or falling of leaves, a decrease in their shine, the absence of new shoots and buds.

Types of feeding

The most popular is organic fertilizer, colloquially dung, but not fresh, matured for a year. It helps to increase the nutritional value of the soil, improves the properties of the soil, in particular, increases the moisture permeability and breathability.

Important note: organic fertilizers must be applied in diluted form (proportion 1:15). To activate microbiological processes, the fertilizer must first be infused, a few days are enough. For good growth and beautiful flowering of rhododendrons, it is necessary to use mineral fertilizers, primarily phosphate fertilizers, for example superphosphate, which must be diluted with water in the proportion indicated on the package.

Since rhododendrons are loyal to acidic soil, it is permissible to use ammonium sulfate, magnesium sulfate and potassium for top dressing. First, the plant needs to be watered well, then fertilizer (also in liquid form).

Fans of these beautiful flowers know that there are special periods when fertilizing plants is extremely necessary. The first time you need to spend it in early spring, to support a weakened shrub after winter. The second feeding period is carried out after flowering is completed. It is sometimes advised to share the types of feeding. In spring, nitrogenous fertilizers should be applied. Put potash and phosphorus fertilizers until the moment when flowering ends.

The choice of fertilizers and feeding methods, of course, remains with the owner of the suburban area. Rhododendron will respond to care with beautiful lush flowers and emerald greenery.

A very popular decorative garden plant in the West - rhododendron - began to win the hearts of Russian summer residents. This is actually an unusually spectacular shrub (less often a small tree), whose flowers in beauty are quite capable of competing even with roses. There are just a huge number of varieties of rhododendrons. Most of them are preferably planted in the garden in April. Read about how this operation is performed, as well as what constitutes care for rhododendrons in the spring.

Varieties of Rhododendrons

This ornamental plant belongs to the genus heather. The climate it prefers is humid, moderate. There are three main varieties of rhododendrons: deciduous, semi-evergreen and evergreen. Ways to care for them are practically no different. For the Russian climate, all three of these species are well suited. The only thing when choosing seedlings should pay attention to the degree of their frost resistance. For gardens it is worth buying only those varieties that can withstand a temperature drop of -30 ... -34 ° C.

Planting material

Before starting to figure 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 Northern Lights, Rustica and KnapHill-Exbury series on their plots. The Japanese view of this shrub is also very good for our climate. A great solution would be the choice of almost any kind of Finnish selection. Dutch rhododendrons are practically not suitable for the Russian climate.

Quite often, in the gardens of domestic owners of suburban areas, you can see plants from the group of Katevba hybrids. The flowers of such rhododendrons are not too large and not particularly bright. However, a lot of them bloom on the branches. In this case, 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 rhododendron in the spring comes down to choosing the most suitable site for it. When deciding where exactly this one will grow, one must take into account the fact that these plants:

• Do not tolerate direct sunlight. This is especially true for evergreen varieties.
• Love acidic soils. On neutral rhododendrons will hurt and will not give abundant flowering. Alkaline soils, these plants do not tolerate categorically. No, even the most thorough care of rhododendrons in spring, summer and autumn will not give results.
• They grow well on moist soils, but do not tolerate stagnation of 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, the rhododendron should be planted in spring or at any other time of the year under the spreading crowns of tall trees, in an unsinkable place with high snow cover in the winter. Very often, these decorative bushes are also placed next to the fence. You should not choose an open place or corner of the house for planting rhododendron. This ornamental shrub also does not tolerate strong winds.

By choosing the right site, you can grow lush beautiful shrubs with bright showy flowers that do not cause any unnecessary trouble. If the place was originally chosen unsuccessfully, you should not be upset. You can always perform a procedure such as a rhododendron transplant. This is best done in spring. But you can move the bush in the fall, and even in the summer. The transplant rhododendrons withstand very well.

Preparatory work

Under the purchased seedlings in a selected area, dig a hole 40 cm deep and 70 cm wide. Drainage is laid on its bottom. In very dry areas, sometimes a hole under the rhododendron, on the contrary, is spread with a thin layer of clay, which allows moisture to be retained at the roots.

The usual garden soil for these plants is completely unsuitable. The soil removed from the pit is removed. Instead, a mixture of completely decomposed cow manure (3: 1) is used. In this case, the question of how and how to fertilize rhododendrons in the spring will not be faced by the owners of the site in the first 2-3 years. You do not need to feed.

You can also use a mixture of blueberries, half-ripened pine litter, coarse sand and sheet soil (1: 3: 1: 1) to fill the roots. To increase soil nutrition in the latter case, it is advisable to add a bucket of decomposed compost to the pit during planting.

How to plant rhododendron in spring

If the seedling was purchased in a container, it is dipped for a day in warm water. This is necessary so that the root ball gets wet. Some vendors plant rhododendrons in containers that are too tight. In this case, a dense crust of dead roots forms on all sides of the coma. It must be removed or at least cut through in several places. Otherwise, the young roots will not break through it, and the plant will receive few nutrients.

Actually, the planting of rhododendron in spring is as follows:

• The plant is lowered into the prepared hole.
• Backfill is made in such a way that its root neck is slightly higher than the surface of the soil.
• Rhododendron planted in this way is mulched with peat or needles and watered abundantly.

Second landing method

So, we have figured out how to properly plant rhododendron in the spring. The technique described above is used quite often by Russian gardeners. However, she has one significant drawback. The soil under rhododendrons in contact with the adjacent soil as a result of various kinds of natural processes begins to leach over time. And this is very harmful for plants. You have to either take any measures to acidify the soil, or even perform an operation such as a rhododendron transplant (in spring or autumn). Therefore, the owners of summer cottages often arrange special high beds for rhododendrons. On the selected site, soil is removed to a depth of 30 cm. Next, wooden sidewalls are installed along the perimeter of the pit. At the bottom of the resulting “box”, small pebbles are poured for drainage. The highest bed is filled with prepared acidic soil mixture. Actually landing is carried out in the usual way.

When to fertilize

Now let's figure out how to feed rhododendrons in the spring. Fertilize this ornamental shrub very carefully. For the first time, top dressing is done for 2-3 years of plant life. Early in the spring, a mixture of ammonium sulfate and potassium sulfate with superphosphate is added to the near-trunk circle at a rate of 2: 1: 1. About 80 g of this top dressing should go per square meter. Old plantings can be additionally fertilized with organic. It is best to use rotted manure or compost in the amount of one bucket per bush. Mullein most experienced gardeners do not recommend fertilizing rhododendrons.

Additional top dressing

In late May - early June, a second top dressing of rhododendrons is performed. In the spring, thus, the bushes fertilize twice. For the second time, the same mineral mixture is used, but in smaller quantities (about half).

The next time fertilizers are applied to the soil in the summer - in July. In this case, phosphorus-potassium top dressing is also used in the summer and autumn are not used. Such fertilizers cause increased shoot growth due to the development of flower buds.

Spring Rhododendron Care

Remove shelter from rhododendrons after wintering immediately after the temperature has set in the street. Perform this operation on a cloudy day. Immediately substitute the shoots of this ornamental plant under the sun's rays. It is advisable for some time to even leave the shelter on the south side.

In order for the earth to thaw, and the roots begin to intensively absorb nutrients, you need to dig out the mulch from the trunk circle. It is impossible to allow melt water to linger for a long time. It also must be raked out. Further, according to the method described above, rhododendrons are fed. In the spring, after the melt water comes off, the plants begin to periodically water. In this case, use only warm, sun-warmed water.

Pruning of rhododendrons in the spring is usually not performed, because they do not tolerate this operation too well. If you want to give the bush a round or oval shape, the branches in the right places are shortened in two seasons - in the first year on the one hand, in the second - on the other.

In the evergreen species, after wintering, some leaves may acquire a brown color. They need to be deleted, because they will not be restored. Frozen shoots are also cut.

Rhododendrons - plants are quite hardy, and even if it seems to you that the bush has completely died out, 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. The most unpretentious varieties after an unsuccessful wintering are fully restored by the fall. How to feed rhododendrons in the spring, you already know. Put some mineral fertilizers under the bush. This will help him gain strength and deal with damage.

Features of watering

Thus, the care of rhododendrons in the spring consists in abundant dressing and watering. The last operation should be carried out correctly. If the soil under the 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.

Change to a new place

Sometimes it happens that a plant for some reason withers and blooms poorly. In this case, you can try to transfer it to a more suitable place. The question of how to transplant rhododendron in spring is not at all complicated. This procedure is performed as follows:

• The plant is dug up from all sides, trying not to damage the roots.
• They take out a bush and transfer it to a previously prepared hole.
• Sprinkle the roots with acidic soil so that the neck remains on the surface.
• Mulch the plant, water it and shade from the south side.

If done carefully, the transplant rhododendrons may not even notice.

So, we have figured out how to care for a plant such as rhododendron in the spring. Top dressing, pruning and watering are mandatory procedures at this time of the 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 established technologies (properly prepare the soil, apply fertilizers in time and irrigate with acidified water), the bushes will delight the owners of the site with magnificent bloom for many years.

Rhododendrons - a luxurious decoration of the garden, are grown everywhere in various climatic conditions. Deciduous representatives of flower culture stand out for their unpretentiousness to environmental factors, they adapt well to new living conditions. With proper care with regular top dressing, the evergreen varieties of "rosewood" can also surprise with intense growth and impressive flowering.

Rhododendron (Rhododendron)

The plant represents the Heather family, enjoys great success among gardeners due to beautiful foliage and abundant flowering. Inflorescences of some varieties of culture smell of a delicate aroma. Leaves of a spiral arrangement, depending on the type, the size of the flowers in the inflorescence varies in the range up to 5 cm and more.

Rhododendron has a compact root system. Due to the absence of root hairs, the basis of shrub nutrition is the mycelium of mycorrhiza - protozoa. For the normal functioning of the mycelium, constant air circulation is necessary, therefore dense soils are contraindicated to the plant. The natural habitat is the undergrowth with a special microclimate, where the rhododendron is protected by trees from the winds, the scorching rays of the sun, and seasonal temperature fluctuations.

Rhododendron prefers light shading. For planting, you must choose a place where there is a sufficient level of illumination in the morning and in the evening. In this case, the plant does not tolerate direct midday rays, suffers from the effects of the scorching sun. Optimal for its cultivation is the neighborhood with trees, in the shade of which the bush is provided with diffused light. Culture also needs protection from the winds.

Important! In order for the rhododendron to please with a luxurious look and abundant flowering, it is necessary to create conditions for a natural habitat for it.

At the same time, regular top dressing should not be neglected, since the green pet needs timely replenishment with useful substances.

With a deficit of useful elements necessary for the development of rhododendron leaves lose their color intensity and luster, turn yellow and dry. Lightening leaves and falling - an alarming signal about the exhaustion of a green pet. Weak shoot development also indicates a lack of nutrition. In the absence of a sufficient level of soil fertility with a deficiency of fertilizer, the "rosewood" not only withers and does not bloom, but can also die.

Soil requirements

Rhododendron in nature lives in loose acidic soil with a high content of humus. To grow crops in the garden, you need to prepare a fertile mass with the appropriate characteristics, paying attention to certain points.

Rhododendron loves acidic soil with a pH reaction of up to 4.5. In alkaline soil, the seedling has practically no chance of development. Moreover, in areas with a neutral pH, the culture does not grow well, it will not be able to please even meager flowering.

The optimal soil mixture for "rosewood" consists of high peat, coniferous decay and leafy soil in the proportions of 2: 1: 3. You can also use a substrate of equal parts of ginger peat and pine or spruce recessions. To acidify the lowland peat, sphagnum moss, ammonium, potassium sulfate or other acidic fertilizers are added.

• heather land from under conifers;
• garden soil or river sand;
• rotted cow manure;
• humus. You can use ripened compost;
• coniferous mass.

The mixture consists of the same proportions of ingredients. To the finished substrate add 100 g of fertilizer "Kemira-universal." If necessary, you can purchase targeted soil for rhododendrons.

The soil for the rosewood should be breathable. When planting plants on a clay site in a pit, they make good drainage. In places with a close location of groundwater, you can build a small hill under the rhododendron to exclude spring flooding.

Fertilizer for Rhododendron

Rhododendron is fed with organic and mineral compounds 2-3 times per season. Before each application, it is necessary to water the seedlings abundantly so that the trunk circle is well moistened.

Important! Chlorides and lime should not be used for top dressing.

The priority is natural fertilizers in the form of liquid mullein, it is also effective to apply rotted manure under the bush, slightly mixing with the top layer of the earth. Ready-made mineral fertilizers for rhododendron can be used in strict accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Inorganic substances with an acid reaction are relevant: urea, ammonium nitrate, potassium sulfate, superphosphate.

Important! Rhododendron responds positively to acid water recharge. A healthy solution is prepared from the juice of 1 lemon per liter of water. Once a month, 2.5 liters of lemon substance are poured under a bush.

In the spring

Spring feeding is designed to bring the culture out of hibernation and prepare for flowering. With the start of the season, the “rosewood” is fed with nitrogen-containing organics.

If there is no organic matter, you can use mineral fertilizers according to the following scheme:

• in early spring: ammonium sulfate 50 g + magnesium sulfate 50 g per 1 m²;
• after the flowering phase: potassium sulfate 20 g + ammonium sulfate 40 g + superphosphate 20 g per 1 m².

The priority is well-rotted manure, preferably with the addition of peat. This mixture is used instead of mulch: pour a bucket of fertilizer into the trunk circle and water it abundantly. The plant responds well to replenishment with diluted mullein 1:15. The solution must be kept for several days for microbiological processes, and only then add 10 l under an adult bush.

In the final phase of flowering of the “rosewood”, feeding with the targeted complex composition of “Kemira” is effective. Fertilizing enriches the green pet's nutrition zone with useful substances and acidifies the soil.

Summer

Summer top dressing provides care for the growth and laying of flowering buds of the coming season. If Kemira fertilizer was not used during flowering, in June rhododendron is fed with nitrogen compounds to grow green shoots. Experienced gardeners strongly recommend a nutrient solution with ammonium nitrate in the proportions of 60 g / 20 l of water per adult bush.

In the second half of July, when the growth of shoots ends and flower buds appear, the plant is fertilized with a phosphorus-potassium composition.

Important! Summer dressing with phosphorus-potassium fertilizer is the key to the abundant flowering of rhododendron in the next season.

Fall

Warm, warm air can provoke a secondary growth of green shoots, which risk freezing during the very first autumn cold. Before the beginning of autumn, in order to stop the growth of shoots, it is necessary to treat the crown with a 1% solution of potassium sulfate. You can spray with another drug - monosubstituted potassium phosphate.

In late autumn, rhododendron is fertilized with a complex of phosphorus and potassium elements to increase the frost resistance of agriculture.

Popular fertilizers

The most effective top dressing for rhododendron, according to experienced gardeners, is a potassium-phosphorus buffer solution. The composition contains basic macronutrients and substances useful for supporting soil acidity. The nutrient mixture is prepared in proportions of 8 g of potassium nitrate and monosubstituted potassium phosphate per 10 l of water.

With a single cultivation of "rosewood" solutions of mineral salts are relevant. For mass plantings of flower culture, dry tuks are used:

• superphosphate 20 g;
• potassium sulfate 20 g;
• ammonium sulfate 40 g

In early spring, 80 g of the dry mixture are applied under a bush 1 m high. After the flowering phase, feed is repeated in half dose.

The specificity of long-acting preparations provides for the gradual replenishment of flower culture over a certain period of time with a single application.

Pokon

The drug is relevant when planting young seedlings, as effective as spring top dressing. The granules are introduced into the near-stem circle, slightly mixed with the surface substrate, watered abundantly. For 1 bush spend 30 g of the drug 1 time per season. Pokon product is available in 900 g packages.

ASB-Greenworld

The tool is indicated for decorative vegetation, which grows in an acidic environment. With the help of the drug, the growth and development of the culture is stimulated, the budding process is accelerated, the color of the leaves improves, the flowers also acquire a saturated color. Contribute according to the instructions every 3 months.

Agrecol

When planting, spend 10-50 g of the product, depending on the size of the seedling. For feeding adult plants, granules are applied under the bush and lightly covered with a soil mixture, followed by abundant watering:

• flower crops with a height of more than 1 m - 60 g per each meter of growth;
• bushes up to 70 cm - 70 g per plant;
• low plantations - 50 g per bush.

To ensure optimal nutrition of rhododendrons, fertilizer is applied 2 times per season with an interval of 3 months.

Important! Long-acting granular fertilizers are designed for climatic zones with 6 months of warm weather. The use of the drug in cold regions leads to a secondary growth of shoots at the end of summer, which is fraught with their freezing.

Care Features

To help the "rosewood" to wake up after the winter, it is necessary to properly organize the care work:

• save the kidneys from drying out. Take away half of last year’s frozen mulch so that the ground near the roots thaws faster. This will save the kidneys from drying out, since the root system will begin active work;
• spray the plant with warm water, even boiling water can be used for watering;
• build a protective shield from the sun;
• winter shelter is removed in early April after thawing the soil to a depth of 25-30 cm.

If burns are found on the shoots or the buds dry, you need to spray the planting with warm water daily, alternating the treatment with a growth stimulator with an interval of 3-4 days.

Before flowering

Care before flowering is the proper watering and feeding a green pet. Fertilizing with nitrogen compounds in the spring has a positive effect on the vegetation process. For the prevention of diseases, rhododendron should be treated with a copper-containing fungicide, for example, the drug "Khom" or a solution of copper sulfate.

The frequency of watering depends on climatic conditions, the composition of the soil mixture and the location of the plant. It is necessary to monitor the condition of the rhododendron and water as necessary. During the period of active growth and flowering - from April to July - the "rosewood" especially needs regular watering. If it is a hot, dry summer, you should spray the foliage every other day in the evening after sunset or in the early morning.

After flowering

During this period, potash and phosphorus fertilizers are applied, which ensures the laying of the kidneys of the next year. In order to stimulate abundant flowering in the coming season, inflorescences are broken out immediately after they have bloomed. Since August, the "rosewood" is watered less often to eliminate the risk of secondary stem growth.

In autumn, it is necessary to prepare rhododendron for wintering. The event consists in proper watering, quality mulching, disease prevention and the construction of shelters for the winter. In September, water the bush more often than in August. From October to November frosts, plentiful watering in the winter is needed. Sufficiency of moisture contributes to the endurance of the "rosewood", increases the chances of a successful wintering.

Conclusion

With proper care, rhododendron pleases with an attractive look all season. With the help of top dressing, it is easy to ensure maximum decorativeness of the plant with the mesmerizing beauty of luxurious inflorescences.

No garden plant can develop normally and bloom without top dressing. The nutrients in the ground are not enough for them, especially if this plant blooms so beautifully and for as long as rhododendron.

Feeding is very important

With proper care, some types of rhododendron are able to please with flowers from mid-spring to early fall. Moreover, the leaves of this wonderful plant do not fall in the fall, remaining year-round fresh and green. And this requires a lot of strength and nutrients, which must be constantly replenished with top dressing.

A deficiency of fertilizers immediately affects the rhododendron - the leaves become light, faded, their wonderful glossy gloss disappears, the shoots do not grow so fast, new buds are not tied.

Top dressing of rhododendrons begins even during planting, horse peat is poured into the pit, or acid soil mix from peat, leaf and coniferous soil, river sand, sawdust, mineral fertilizers, 50 grams of sulfur.

What do rhododendrons love? Fertilizers are applied in liquid form in the first year after planting. The plant is fed after flowering during the intensive growth of young shoots, using humus, which increases the nutritional value of the soil, and improves its mechanical and physical qualities. After application of the humus, the soil becomes loose, breathable, the roots receive the oxygen they need, and the whole plant as a whole - nutrients. The composition of the soil is also improved by horn chips, decomposing, it saturates the earth with nitrogen and phosphorus.

For top dressing, organics are diluted in water in a ratio of 1x15, the plant is not watered with a mixture immediately, but it is allowed to infuse a little - 3-4 days, so that fermentation begins in it.

A good source of phosphorus for flowering rhododendron is slurry, it is prepared from mullein, rabbit or bird droppings.

Organic fertilizers will not be superfluous, this is superphosphate diluted in water at the rate of 300-400 grams of dry fertilizer per 10 liters of water. Sometimes granules are simply scattered under a bush and watered abundantly with water, this allows you to protect the roots from the effects of superphosphate.

In autumn, a layer of 5 cm thick rotted manure is poured under the bush, in the spring, nutrients from it will get to the roots along with melt water.

A good result is given by foliar, foliar dressings with a one percent solution of potassium sulfate, they are carried out in the summer.

Rhododendron loves acidic soil, so in the fall the near-stem circle can be covered with peat, and in spring, potassium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, potassium, magnesium, and potassium nitrate can be added.

In addition, the soil can be acidified with citric, oxalic, acetic acid, diluted in water in a ratio of 3-4 per bucket of water. Sulfuric acid for these purposes is diluted in a ratio of 1 ml per bucket of water.

Some gardeners use a battery electrolyte, it will take 10-20 ml per bucket of water. In addition to acid, sulfur is also found in the electrolyte, which rhododendrons also need.

We consider the care of rhododendron in the open ground in spring, summer, autumn and winter. Described in detail: watering, top dressing, fertilizers, pruning and flowering, as well as preparation for winter, pests and diseases.

Plus regional features: Moscow region, the Urals, Siberia, North-West (Leningrad region) and the Middle lane.

How to care for rhododendron in the garden in spring and summer?

Planting lays the foundation for further care of the plant in the open ground. If it is planted in a suitable place in the right soil mixture, then further care is much easier. How to do this correctly, we described in a special material - see the bottom of the page.

In spring, the flower awakens after winter and you need to help it recover, save from drying out and rotting. Rhododendron care in spring and summer consists of regular watering and spraying, top dressing, pruning and disease prevention.

Save the kidneys from drying out

1. After the active melting of snow (mid-March - early April), the soil can slowly thaw, and the sun bake. The evaporation of moisture increases by the kidneys and leaves, and the roots are chained and not awakened.
2. Therefore, free the bush from last year’s frozen mulch (you can loosen and remove half the layer) so that the ground near the roots thaws faster.
     This will allow the roots to start working and save the kidneys from drying out. It is especially important to quickly remove the mulch if the winter was cold or with little snow.
3. Pour the rosewood with hot water (even boiling water) and sprinkle with warm water.
4. If the rhododendron wintered without shelter, then make a sun shield from the south and west. Drive in the stakes and pull the fabric. Read more in the article “Preparing for the winter” - link at the bottom of the page.
5. After completely thawing the soil in depth by 20-30 cm (beginning - mid-April) on a cloudy day or evening, remove the protective cover (covering material) or winter shelter.

If the shoots still show signs of burns, the buds are dry and do not begin to grow, then spray them with warm water every day, and every 3-4 days with a growth stimulator (Zircon, Epin, etc.).

Flower buds of rhododendron in the spring after removing the winter shelter

Rhododendron pruning

Trim the plant only if necessary (every 2-5 years): if you need to update the old specimen, shorten the bush too tall or remove the frozen stems.

The classical forming pruning is not necessary due to the fact that the natural form of the plant is correct and attractive in 99% of cases.

rules

• Trimming before swelling of the kidneys (mid-March - early April).
• The cut should be done directly above the sleeping point of growth - a small pinkish swelling, thickening. Be sure to learn how to identify them.
• Treat each slice with garden var.
• For clipped specimens during the active growing season, ensure regular watering and top dressing.

Species features

1. Small deciduous species need to be rejuvenated after 5-7 years, and large (Canadian and others) every 14-18 years.
2. Small-leaved evergreen species up to 4-5 years old need to be trimmed to stimulate branching. If desired, you can even create the shape of a ball. Since powerful flowering is observed even in 20-25 year old branches, they are rarely pruned.
3. Evergreen species with large leaves cut each spring for 1-3 shoots from their total number so that the lateral branches develop better. Otherwise, after a few years, these shoots will become ugly and long branches with leaves only at the top. The leaves themselves will become small, and flowering weak.

How to prune a large bush?

Cut the shoots in places 2-4 cm thick near sleeping buds. After 20-25 days, the sleeping buds will wake up and grow, and next year the decorativeness of the bush will be restored.

How to rejuvenate a bush?

To rejuvenate very old or seriously affected by frosts, winds of bushes, cut branches at a level of 30-40 cm from the soil near sleeping buds: first one half, and another one year later, to facilitate rehabilitation.

Anti-aging pruning of evergreen rhododendron after an unsuccessful wintering

Tip

If you want a thick and spreading deciduous deciduous rhododendron, pinch the seasonal shoots in June for the first 3-4 years after planting, and in September cut off all the weak stems inside the crown.

How to water rhododendron?

A deficiency or excess of water is undesirable for a plant. A prolonged lack of water prevents the seasonal growth of shoots, impairs flowering and reduces decorativeness (leaves dry out, turn yellow, and old leaves fall off en masse).

• Leaves indicate a lack of moisture. Due to the loss of turgor, they wilt, fade and acquire a matte shade. The lack of watering aggravates the situation: the leaves turn yellow, turn brown (edges and central vein), dry out and die.

A rosewood is detrimental to water stagnation and is sensitive to excessive moisture in the ground. This disrupts the development of the flower, as little oxygen enters the roots. In this case, the leaves also turn yellow, fade and fall.

The frequency of irrigation is affected by the place of planting, the composition of the soil mixture and climatic conditions. Rhododendron, planted in a favorable place and in the right soil mixture, needs less frequent watering.

Ideally, the frequency of irrigation is determined independently by the condition of the leaves and the amount of rainfall. As soon as they become dull (shine has disappeared) and droop a little, they need moisture. Therefore, follow these signs and accumulate your personal experience.

The most important periods for watering: active growth and development (April - mid-July) and preparation for winter (mid-September - November).

April - July

During the period of intensive vegetation, during the flowering period and after it there is an increased need for moisture, the root coma should not be allowed to dry out. Therefore, every 4-7 days, pour 10-14 liters of water into the trunk circle under an adult bush.

If spring and summer are hot, and there is little rain, then you need to water more often and supplement with spraying. Every 2-3 days in the early morning or late evening spray the leaves with water.

August and September

Moreover, in August and September it is already necessary to water less often - once 8-12 days, 10-14 liters of water, otherwise the secondary growth of the stems is possible.

Soil loosening

Others believe that it is advisable to weed 3-4 times over the summer, but very carefully: loosen 1-2 times in one place 3-4 cm in depth.

Tips

Water for irrigation and spraying "rosewood" should be soft and acidified (pH 4.0-5.0) - a teaspoon of citric or oxalic acid per 10 liters of water.

Fertilizing and fertilizers

Proper nutrition provides good growth and development, powerful and beautiful flowering, and also increases the resistance of rhododendron to adverse external factors (pests, frost, disease, wind).

• The most important periods: March - April and immediately after flowering.

It is advisable to apply liquid top dressing. In this case, a nutrient solution is necessary for a low concentration, since rhododendron grows slowly, and the roots lie close to the surface.

Signs of need for feeding

Light, pale without shine leaves. Yellowish green shoots. Small seasonal gain. Weak or lack of flowering. Old leaves fall heavily in August.

Leaf discoloration is the first symptom of a lack of nutrients.

What fertilizer to use for rhododendrons?

A good option would be to use special fertilizer, it has a balanced composition of mineral elements and fast solubility. You can also apply complex mineral fertilizers, such as "Kemira Universal" and organic.

Organic fertilizer

According to experts, organic top dressing is more preferable, since they are better absorbed than mineral and improve the soil (friability, moisture and air permeability).

• Of these, it is better to use: blood meal, semi-rotted cow manure and horn meal. Do not use: bird droppings, pork and horse manure.

Pour over half rotted manure with water 1: 15-20 and insist 3-4 days. Water the bush before top dressing (the root ball should get completely wet). It can be used only from April to the end of June.

In spring or autumn, half-rotten manure can be scattered near the bush with a 4-5 cm layer on the surface of the earth, so that with the incoming moisture from rain or melting snow, the necessary elements feed it.

Mineral fertilizers

Since the "rosewood" prefers acidic soils, acidic fertilizers must be used. This is mainly: potassium nitrate, superphosphate, potassium phosphate and sulfate - ammonium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Under the ban - containing chlorine fertilizers.

The nutrient solution for feeding should be 0.1-0.2% i.e. 1 g of substance per liter of water, and potash fertilizers - 0.05-0.1%.

Feeding schedule

After winter, rhododendron needs to be fed, and if the acidity level has increased (""), then you need to slightly acidify the soil.

To acidify, add a tablespoon of vinegar, oxalic or citric acid. Especially if the bush grows on loamy or sandy loam soil.

1. After the snow melts (late March - early April), pour the plant with mullein infusion or dissolve 20 grams of ammonium sulfate, 6 potassium sulfate and 8 grams of superphosphate in 10 liters of water.
     After that, immediately mulch the trunk circle 6-8 cm with a layer of pine sawdust or peat.
     Such a mulch will reduce acidity, retain moisture longer and prevent the active growth of weeds. The base of the bush can not be covered, it is better to sprinkle it with coarse sand to prevent rot and stagnation of water.
2. After 20-25 days or 10-14 days before flowering (the beginning of budding). The same composition.
3. During flowering or immediately after it. To make the bush bloom more powerful or restore strength: 8 grams of superphosphate and 6 grams of potassium sulfate per 10 liters of water.

To maintain the desired acidity of the soil after the first and second top dressing, it is advisable to pour with this solution: 8 g of potassium phosphate and potassium nitrate per 10 liters of water. If watered with infusion of mullein, then there is no need.

2nd option

1. Before flowering.   Add 20-30 grams of special fertilizer under the bush or Kemira station wagon (2-3 grams per liter). In any of the options, add nitrogen for growth: 5-10 g of urea (urea) or ammonium nitrate.
2. Immediately after flowering.   Similar top dressing.
3. In late July - early August. 30 grams of superphosphate, 15 grams of potassium sulfate + 10 grams of complex mineral fertilizer per 10 liters of water. Top dressing accelerates the lignification of shoots and prevents their growth in late summer - early fall.

3rd option

1. After the snow melts (end of March - beginning of April).   Scatter on the surface of the earth per 1 m2 or an instance above 100 cm: 40 grams of ammonium sulfate and 20 grams of potassium sulfate and superphosphate or 50 grams of ammonium sulfate and magnesium.
2. After flowering (end of May - beginning of June).   20 grams of ammonium sulfate and 10 grams of potassium sulfate and superphosphate.

This option is much easier than liquid top dressing and is suitable for those who have planted a large number of plants.

Tips

• Do not use fertilizers that lower the acidity of the soil, such as wood ash.
• Do not use granular fertilizers of prolonged action, as they can lead to secondary growth of stems in August, which will freeze in winter. They are designed for a European climate with six warm months a year.
• If nevertheless secondary growth has begun, then spray the bush with potassium sulfate - 10 g per liter of water.
• The editors of the festival "Flower Festival" recommends using more organic fertilizers than mineral ones.

Disease prevention

In late April - early May, spill or sprinkle the "rosewood" with copper-containing fungicides (HOM, copper sulfate).

Preventive treatments are especially important for species: Canadian, Ledebour and evergreen species.

Flowering rhododendron

A unique and powerful flowering bush every year waiting for all gardeners. Despite its attractive appearance all season, it is luxurious inflorescences that create maximum decorativeness and fascinate millions of eyes.

When does rhododendron bloom or flowering time?

The timing of flowering depends on the climatic conditions of a particular area and year, the variety and condition of the plant. Typically, the flowering period lasts from April to June. Early-flowering species (Daurian, Canadian, Ledebour) bloom in mid-late April to early-mid-May cease to bloom.

Then, evergreen large-leaved species begin to bloom in the beginning - mid-May, and soon deciduous species and varieties based on them join them.

How long or how long does rhododendron bloom?

The flowering period for different species and varieties is a different number of days, an average of 16-20 (30-45). The duration of flowering depends on many factors: the amount of light, temperature, species features, amount of nutrients, etc.

Care after flowering

In order for the “pink tree” to bloom abundantly every year, break out the inflorescences immediately after they have bloomed (there will be no seeds!). The inflorescence at the base breaks off effortlessly with hands, but you need to be careful so as not to damage the young shoots.

This procedure will help the bush direct all its efforts to laying the lateral buds and abundant flowering in the next season. It will also become more magnificent, because at the base of the inflorescence there will appear not one, but 2-3 young shoots.

Then water the plant abundantly and feed it with potassium-phosphorus fertilizer.

• It is especially important to break out inflorescences in large-leaved species.

Rhododendron Katevbinsky "Grandiflorum" (Grandiflorum)

Rhododendron: Fall Care and Winter Prep

Caring for a rhododendron in the autumn comes down to preparing for wintering, which includes proper watering, disease prevention, mulching and, if necessary, protection with covering material or the construction of a shelter.

Watering

In September we water more often than in August, and in October we need abundant watering in the winter, especially in dry autumn and for evergreen species and varieties. Water them until November frosts. If in November there is no way to go to the country, then it is better to plant only deciduous rhododendrons.

In rainy autumn, often in the Moscow region, Leningrad region, watering is rare.

• A sufficient amount of moisture in September - October - November contributes to a successful wintering of the plant, increases its endurance, and drought reduces resistance to external negative factors.

Disease prevention

In late September - early October (before frost) treat the plant with a “Bordeaux mixture”, copper sulfate or copper-containing fungicide to prevent fungal diseases.

Preparing for the winter and shelter for the winter

By early October, the bush should form flower (large, rounded) and growth (smaller and sharper) buds next year. The main task is to preserve these buds until spring from freezing, burns, scrapping and drying.

• Since this is a very serious moment in caring for rhododendron, we covered it in a special article - see the link at the bottom of the page.

Pests and diseases

Depending on the species and variety, the susceptibility of rhododendrons to diseases and pests is different. According to the observations of gardeners, in the open and sunny areas, evergreen species are more likely to suffer from pests and diseases than in light partial shade.

At the same time, a strong and strong plant is less prone to meeting with “uninvited guests”. Therefore, proper care in the open ground for rhododendron here is crucial.

Fungal diseases: anthracnose, bacterial root cancer, wax disease (bloating of leaves), bud rot, mosaic. Various leaf spots, rust, gray rot, tracheomycotic wilting, late blight of the roots,

Possible growing problems

Why do rhododendron have brown leaves?

Often the leaves turn brown (central vein and edges) not due to a fungal infection, but due to a lack of moisture. This is a major factor.

The tips of the leaves turn brown and dry out due to sunburn in the spring or moisture deficiency in the heat.

Why do leaves turn yellow?

In addition to lack or excess of moisture, often the reason lies in the low acidity of the soil. Settle and acidify the water before watering, feed it with buffer solution - the composition in the first version of top dressing.

Flower buds crumble

The reason is high air temperature and low humidity.

Why do folded leaves?

Flowers fade due to insufficient watering or low humidity. Spray the plant more often.

If this happened after the first autumn frosts, then you do not need to worry - this is a natural process. Read about it in the article "Preparing for the winter."

ADDITIONS TO THE ARTICLE:

We wish you proper development and beautiful flowering!