Rhododendrons and azaleas: planting and care. Rhododendron: "flower explosion": cultivation and care in the open field
Landing. Everyone who is engaged or wants to grow rhododendrons, the question arises, when is the best time to transplant rhododendrons, how to feed them, what kind of care do they require? More than 20 years of experience in the cultivation of rhododendrons in the Botanical Garden of Leningrad State University. P. Stuchki showed that the most suitable time for transplanting rhododendrons in our republic is spring (April - the first half of May) and autumn (September-November), when young shoots have finished growing and strengthened. If necessary, rhododendrons can be planted at any other time of the year, excluding periods of flowering and immediately after flowering, when intensive shoot growth begins. Such a wide range of rhododendron transplant times is due to the compactness of their root system and the density of the root ball. In rhododendrons, unlike others ornamental trees and shrubs, during transplantation, the root system is practically not damaged, the connection between the roots of plants and the substrate is not lost.
Thus, if the landing site is chosen and prepared correctly, then the transplanted rhododendrons in the new place grow just as well as in the old one. In long-term plantings, only healthy plants with a well-developed compact root system should be planted. In group plantings, the distance between plants (flowering) should be such that their crowns barely touch.
Already before acquiring rhododendrons, you need to know what place in the garden will be reserved for their planting, and it is best to be guided by the landscaping project developed by specialists. The place for planting rhododendrons should be protected from the prevailing winds and from the direct burning rays of the sun, the soil should be prepared accordingly.
Before planting, rhododendrons should be watered abundantly. Well-watered rhododendrons tolerate transportation and transplanting better. If the root balls of the rhododendrons to be transplanted have dried up, they should be immersed in water for several hours so that they are well saturated with water.
Before planting rhododendrons, the soil should be carefully prepared. In nurseries or if rhododendrons are planted in large groups, the soil is prepared over the entire area. If one or more specimens are planted, then a landing pit is prepared for each plant or each small group. required size, i.e., about twice as wide and twice as deep as the root ball of rhododendrons. When planting rhododendrons near big trees the pit should be insulated with slate, plastic, tin or two layers of roofing material. Sour sphagnum peat, semi-decomposed manure, deciduous soil, heather soil are poured into the dug hole, pine needles and other organic materials. It is not necessary to have all of the above components; you can get by with several or even one material, such as peat. Organic materials fill 1/2 of the pit, and the rest of the volume is filled with mineral soil dug during the preparation of the pit. Complete mineral fertilizer is added to these components at the rate of 2-3 kg per 1 m 3 of the substrate. Then all the components in the pit are thoroughly mixed. Mixing can also be carried out outside the pit, and the pit can be filled with a completely prepared substrate. The landing site should be prepared in advance, in the fall, and rhododendrons should be planted in the spring.
Rice. fifteen.Planting rhododendrons: 1 - rhododendron planted too small; 2 - rhododendron planted too deep; 3 - Properly planted rhododendron.
Planting rhododendrons is carried out as follows. In the prepared pit, they dig a cell corresponding to the size of the root ball of the rhododendron, and plant the plant in this cell. The space around the root ball is filled with a substrate, which is slightly compacted so that there is no void left, and the root ball is covered on top thin layer(no more than 5 cm) of the substrate. In a new place, rhododendrons are planted at the same depth at which they grew in the nursery (Fig. 15). After transplanting, rhododendrons are watered abundantly. On rainy days, when the soil is wet and the relative humidity reaches 100%, watering is not required. The amount of water for irrigation depends on the size of the plants. If the plants have a height of 30-40 cm, at least 5 liters of water are needed for irrigation after transplantation, and if the plants reach a height of 50-100 cm, at least 10 liters of water are required. After watering, the soil should be wet to a depth of at least 20 cm. To prevent water from spreading during irrigation, a small mulch roller is made around the planted plant. Mulching is carried out immediately after watering. Sphagnum peat, pine needles, leaves, especially oak, and other organic materials can be used as mulch, which, after decomposition, increase the amount of humus and increase the acidity of the soil.
If rhododendrons planted in a permanent place have a lot of flower buds, some of them should be broken off so that plants that have not yet fully rooted do not spend much-needed flowers on flowering. nutrients and moisture. A few flower buds can be left, so that when flowering you can appreciate the beauty of the planted plant.
At solitary plantings when rhododendrons are planted on the lawn one at a time, so that the wind does not shake the plants that have not yet taken root, it is necessary to stick a stake into the soil, inclined against the direction of the prevailing winds, and tie a bush to it (Fig. 16). When the plant takes root, the stake is removed.
At proper care rhododendrons bloom and bear fruit profusely every year. During flowering and seed formation, plants consume a lot of nutrients. Anyone who grows rhododendrons notices the periodicity in their flowering: one year rhododendrons bloom very profusely, and the next year less. To eliminate such periodicity, if seeds are not needed, faded inflorescences are broken out immediately after flowering. In this case, the reserve substances available in the plant are used to form new shoots and lay flower buds, which ensures abundant flowering in next year. To break out a faded inflorescence, it is slightly bent down, holding it large and index fingers. At the same time, the fragile axis of the inflorescence breaks easily at the base. In this way, faded inflorescences are removed much faster than with a knife or scissors. This work should be carried out carefully and carefully so as not to break off the young, fragile shoots at the base of the inflorescences. Removing faded inflorescences contributes to the formation of a more lush bush, since after this operation, at least 2-3 new shoots are formed on the bush. If the faded inflorescences are not removed, but left to obtain seeds, then, as a rule, only one shoot is formed at the base of the inflorescence, and that without a flower bud.
top dressing. In order for rhododendrons to bloom profusely and beautifully every year, grow well, develop normally, be healthy and not damaged by pests, they must be properly fertilized. Top dressing is necessary not only for young plants, but also for old flowering specimens. Long time even experts were of the opinion that rhododendrons do not require top dressing, that they grow and bloom well without it. The most daring and determined gardeners in best case well-decomposed manure was used as fertilizer. There was a strong prejudice against mineral fertilizers, since it was believed that rhododendrons do not tolerate them. With the expansion of knowledge on the mineral nutrition of plants in nurseries, they began to carefully apply mineral fertilizers to feed rhododendrons. Nowadays, no one considers it possible to obtain high-quality planting material for rhododendrons without the use of mineral fertilizers.
Mineral fertilizers are necessary not only for rhododendrons growing in nurseries. Those rhododendrons that grow in plantations on permanent place. Only then will rhododendrons show their beauty - bright, juicy green foliage, abundant flowering, lush habitus. Breeders, using various mineral fertilizers, try to speed up the flowering of hybrids in order to see the results of their work faster.
Rhododendrons are slow growing plants with shallow, compact root systems, so they cannot tolerate high concentrations of mineral salts. This circumstance must be taken into account when feeding rhododendrons.
As the experience of the specialists of the Botanical Garden of Leningrad State University shows. P. Stuchka and foreign experts, rhododendrons need to be fertilized already in the first year after transplantation, immediately after the rooting of the transplanted plants. Rhododendrons should be fed mainly in early spring and immediately after flowering - at the beginning and during the active growth of young shoots. It is desirable that top dressing be liquid.
What external signs Do Rhododendrons Indicate a Nutrient Deficiency? The most characteristic sign is a change in the color of the leaves: they become light, their luster decreases, the shoots become yellowish-green, the plants have very little annual growth, flower buds are not laid, in August and early September there is an increased fall of old leaves.
The most accessible and common of organic fertilizers are old semi-rotted manure, horn shavings and blood meal, horse and pig manure, as well as bird droppings, are unsuitable, as they increase the alkalinity of the soil. Semi-rotted cow manure not only increases the nutritional value of the soil, but also improves its physical properties: the soil becomes looser, its moisture and air permeability and water-holding capacity increase. how organic fertilizers for rhododendrons, horn shavings and horn flour are of great value, having a high content of nitrogen and phosphorus and having a long and mild effect, since the process of their decomposition takes longer than the decomposition of manure.
If organic fertilizers are available in sufficient quantities, then they should be preferred. Like mineral fertilizers, it is desirable to apply organic fertilizers in liquid form. If manure is used, it should be diluted with water in a ratio of 1:15-20, left for several days until active microbiological processes begin, and only then used for top dressing. To fertilize rhododendrons, you can also use slurry, diluting it with water to a light brown color. To increase the phosphorus content in diluted slurry, you need to add 3-4 kg of superphosphate per 100 liters of liquid. When fertilizing rhododendrons with slurry, it is necessary to strictly monitor the reaction of the soil, since this top dressing can change the pH of the substrate. Before top dressing, rhododendrons should be well watered so that the root ball gets wet to the full depth.
If there is semi-decomposed manure on the farm in spring or autumn, it can be poured on the surface of the soil around each plant with a layer about 5 cm thick. With melting snow or rain moisture, nutrients gradually penetrate the soil, and the plants receive the necessary top dressing.
If organic fertilizers are inaccessible or not available at all, then inorganic fertilizers should be oriented.
Mineral fertilizers are essentially concentrates of nutrients, so with a small amount of them, a lot of the nutrients needed by plants are introduced into the soil. Since rhododendrons grow well on acidic soils, physiologically acidic mineral fertilizers (ammonium sulphate, superphosphate, magnesium sulphate, potassium sulphate, calcium sulphate, potassium phosphate, potassium nitrate etc., so as not to disturb the reaction of the environment.
The ratio of mineral fertilizers and water used for feeding rhododendrons should not exceed 1-2: 1000 (potassium fertilizer solution should be even weaker). For fertilizing rhododendrons, chlorine-containing fertilizers should not be used. You need to start feeding plants in early spring and stop at the end of July, otherwise, with warm weather and sufficient humidity, soil and air can cause secondary growth of shoots. Young shoots that started growing late, have time to complete growth before the end of the growing season and in the fall, even with the first light frosts, they freeze slightly. AT climatic conditions In our republic, which is characterized by warm and humid summers and autumns, the secondary growth of shoots in late August or early September is observed in many species of rhododendrons. You can stop it by spraying the plants with a 1% solution of potassium sulfate K 2 SO 4 or a 1% solution of monosubstituted potassium phosphate KH 2 PO 4.
Feeding rhododendrons with a potassium-phosphorus buffer solution is very effective. To prepare it, 8 g of potassium nitrate KNO 3 and 8 g of monosubstituted potassium phosphate KH 2 PO 4 are taken per 10 liters of water. A solution is obtained that contains the main macroelements - nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and maintains the pH of the medium within the required limits (2-7) .
Feeding rhododendrons with solutions of mineral salts is a very laborious work, therefore, in the mass cultivation of rhododendrons, dry mineral fertilizers are used. This makes the work of gardeners easier. For 1 m 2 of area or for one plant 1 m high, 80 g of mineral fertilizers of the following composition should be taken: 20 g of superphosphate, 20 g of potassium sulfate and 40 g of ammonium sulfate. This mixture is sown in early spring, immediately after the snow has melted and the soil has thawed (in the climatic conditions of the Latvian SSR, around the end of March and the first half of April). During spring rains, mineral fertilizers dissolve and enter the substrate. Secondary feeding is carried out at the end of May - at the beginning of June, immediately after the flowering of rhododendrons. This time, the dose of mineral fertilizers is reduced by half.
You can carry out top dressing in a slightly different way: in early spring, only nitrogenous fertilizers are applied, and phosphorus and potash fertilizers are applied immediately after the flowering of rhododendrons. In this case, in early spring, 100 g of a mixture is sown per 1 m 2 of the area, which includes 50 g of ammonium sulfate and 50 g of magnesium sulfate. In late May - early June, after the flowering of rhododendrons, 80 g of a mixture is applied per 1 m 2 of the area, which includes 20 g of potassium sulfate, 20 g of superphosphate and 40 g of ammonium sulfate. Top dressing of open ground rhododendrons with mineral fertilizer solutions is carried out 2-3 times a year - from April to July. For top dressing, you can use the same fertilizers and in the same concentration that we recommended for top dressing of rhododendrons closed ground. For 10 liters of water, 21.5 g of ammonium sulfate, 8.3 g of superphosphate and 6.3 g of potassium sulfate are taken. In addition, during this period, in order to maintain the necessary reaction of the substrate, it is advisable to water the plants 1-2 more times with a potassium-phosphorus buffer solution.
Feeding young seedlings is somewhat different from feeding rhododendrons growing in a permanent place, so their fertilizer is discussed in the section that talks about the propagation of rhododendrons by seeds.
KONDRATOVICH "RODODENDRONS", Riga, 1981 (experience of introduction of rhododendrons in Latvia)
Rhododendron is a plant of the genus of evergreen trees. Its name means a tree with roses, appearance the shrub is very similar to the azalea. This is a fairly common plant, with about three thousand varieties. There is a rhododendron from North America to East Asia, most often grows near water bodies. This plant is in natural environment habitat reaches up to thirty meters in length, and some species spread like a carpet. Rhododendron is one of the favorite crops among gardeners in Russia and Ukraine, as it is distinguished by its beauty and endurance.
Description of culture
Garden rhododendron is a shrub that is quite popular all over the world due to the beauty of its foliage and magnificent flowering. Some species of this plant emit a bright floral aroma. The foliage of the culture is annual or perennial, depending on the variety.
The fruits of the shrub are a small box with seeds. The bush has a rather superficial root system, which makes it easy to transplant the plant to another place.
Rhododendron is an excellent early honey plant. Very popular with beekeepers.
Conditions for planting rhododendron
In our area, only frost-resistant rhododendron can be planted, since the roots of this plant are located close to the surface of the earth, and in severe winters there is a high risk of crop death. Landing is best done in early spring or late autumn. In general, it can be transplanted into open ground at any time, except for the flowering period.
The landing procedure is quite simple.:
- It is necessary to dig a hole about 50 cm deep, fill it with a mixture of peat and clay. The contents of the recess are strongly tamped, and then dig a small hole in it the size of the root system of a shrub. Before planting a plant, you need to hold its roots in water.
- The planted bush must be covered with earth and trampled down well. The root neck cannot be buried, it must be flush with the ground.
- After planting, water the bush abundantly.
Grows best in shade, in mineral-rich, acidic soil. Excellent neighbors with oak, pine and other deep-rooted and fruit trees. But alder, maple, chestnut and linden will destroy the rhododendron.
shrub care
This plant is unpretentious and easy to care for. Care includes the usual procedures: weeding, watering, spraying, top dressing and pest control.
You can not loosen the soil next to the shrub, as the root system of the plant is located high, and there is a risk of damaging it.
Watering should be plentiful and regular, especially during the flowering period of the shrub.. You can determine when to water a flower by the state of its foliage: if it ceases to be glossy, then the plant needs water.
In summer, when the air temperature is high, you need to spray the plant. Watering should be regulated so as not to overmoisten the roots.
plant pruning
Usually this shrub does not require pruning, as it independently forms beautiful crown . Sometimes you need to trim some branches or cut off frozen or dry shoots.
To fulfill correct pruning, you need to carry it out in early spring. Cut points to be processed charcoal or garden pitch. After about thirty days, buds form on the shoots, the renewal process starts.
This shrub has such a feature: abundant flowering is observed in one year, and much less inflorescences form in the next season. To get rid of such a disadvantage, it is necessary to prune half of the plant alternately in a year.
Shrub fertilizer
This plant must be fertilized, even in the case of a recent planting. The first feeding is carried out in the spring. Before fertilizing, the plant must be watered. From organic fertilizers, manure diluted with water is suitable. Since the shrub grows in acidic soil, nitrogen products and potassium phosphate can be used from mineral fertilizers.
It is best to fertilize the plant in the spring with nitrogen-containing fertilizers, and in early summer with sulfuric acid.
Diseases and pests
Most often, the following pests threaten the rhododendron:
- mealy worm;
- spider mite;
- bedbugs;
- weevils;
- slugs and snails.
To combat these pests, it is necessary to treat the plant with special solutions of insecticides and diazinones. Many pests die from karbofos.
fungal diseases arise due to waterlogging and poor ventilation of the roots. Most of these diseases can be eliminated with a solution of copper sulfate.
Affected shoots and leaves should be removed and pruned.
Features of spring care
In the spring, it is necessary to remove the shelter from the plants after temperature regime set to positive. It is recommended to remove the shelter from the rhododendrons gradually, which will protect the shoots from negative impact direct sunlight. The old mulching circle from the trunk circles should be removed. The first watering should be water-charging. For this purpose, warmed up in the sun and settled water is used.
In the presence of a large accumulation of melt water, it is necessary to take measures to remove it from the plantings of rhododendron. AT spring care rhododendron plantings include activities such as watering, nutritious top dressing, weed removal, loosening, pruning and spraying against pests.
Cutting technology
AT spring period pruning of excessively tall bushes is carried out, as well as the removal of shoots frozen in winter or the rejuvenation of old plants. The event is held before the start of the sap flow.All sections must be processed with garden pitch. Approximately three weeks after pruning, buds awaken on the shoots, and part of the shoots is updated. It is important to remember that very old or very frostbitten in winter period bushes must be cut at a height of 35 cm from the ground. In order to reduce the indicators of the frequency of flowering, it is recommended that immediately after flowering in the spring, timely breaking out of all wilted inflorescences is recommended.
Watering and fertilizing
Rhododendrons are categorized moisture-loving plants, therefore, irrigation plays an important role. It is recommended to supplement irrigation measures with fertilizer application. Rhododendrons grow quite slowly, but for full development they need periodic top dressing. The main dressings are applied in the spring, after flowering, as well as at the stage of active growth of young shoots.
In the early spring, a mixture of fertilizers based on ammonium sulphate, potassium sulphate and superphosphate can be applied under the plants in a ratio of 2:1:1. The use of such a fertilizer involves the consumption of 80 g of the mixture for each square meter. For adult and old plants, additional organic matter can be applied in the form of rotted manure or compost at the rate of 1 bucket for each bush.
Plants respond very well to fertilizing with granular fertilizers. Kemira-universal, which should be evenly distributed over the surface of the soil (1 tablespoon of granules per square meter of area). For more adults and plentifully flowering plants It is desirable to double the application rate of this fertilizer.
For further top dressing, you can use a solution of potassium sulfate. It should be remembered that in the last decade of summer, rhododendrons do not need top dressing, as they often cause late secondary growth and freezing of unripened shoots in winter. For the same reason experienced growers do not recommend the use of mullein for dressing.
Pest protection
As a rule, rhododendrons are affected mealybugs, scale insects, spider mites, bedbugs, weevils, rhododendron flies, as well as snails and slugs. For the destruction of gastropods, manual collection and preventive treatment of plants with an 8% fungicide "TMTD" or "Tirama" is used. In order to protect landings from spider mites, rhododendron bugs and weevils, spraying of the rhododendron and the soil around the plants with the Diazinon preparation is used. The treatment of flower beds in the spring with a standard solution of karbofos has a good performance.
reproduction
Rhododendron reproduces at home in several ways:
Varieties of rhododendron
There are a huge number of species and varieties of this beautiful shrub. Below are the most popular ones..
In our latitudes, this beautiful shrub normally tolerates small frosts, but it is still better to cover it for the winter. It does not require special care and successfully reproduces. Such a plant will become a real decoration of any garden or garden. suburban area.
Features of landing in the Moscow region, Siberia and the Urals
This plant is thermophilic, so for the Moscow region you need to choose varieties that can survive winter frosts. Due to the superficial location of the root system, the probability of freezing the shrub remains even under cover.
Rhododendron in Siberia. Planting and caring for such a shrub should include mandatory mulching and shelter for the winter. You need to choose deciduous varieties of rhododendron: Japanese, Kamchatka, yellow and others.
Rhododendrons in the Urals. Care and planting of a plant in this region begins with the selection of a cold-resistant variety, for example, The Hague, Mikkeli, Rosie Lights. Be sure to cover the rhododendron for the winter to avoid hypothermia.
The unique beauty of rhododendron inspires gardeners; for many, caring for an exquisite heat-loving shrub becomes a real pleasure and develops into a hobby. Growing a rhododendron cannot be called easy, you need to choose the right place where to plant it, monitor soil moisture and protect it from pests. But if you make an effort and provide the plant with proper care, then this is rare. beautiful plant will be a real gem in any garden.
Following several important recommendations, you will ensure that rhododendrons will definitely take root in the garden. Due to the huge variety of species, planting and care may vary somewhat. But they are still united general tricks cultivation.
The best time to plant rhododendrons is in spring. Behind summer months plants will take root, get stronger. When choosing seedlings, do not chase older plants. It is better to get a baby who will take root faster in a new place. Most often, deciduous and evergreen plants are on sale.
Choosing a place to land
The best place for rhododendron will be partial shade. Plants should receive sunlight, at least half a day. Rhododendrons feel good when trees grow nearby or buildings are located. This will further protect the seedlings from strong winds. In the open sun, rhododendrons will not be comfortable.
The soil
An important component of success is the preparation of the soil. Rhododendrons do not tolerate clay, heavy, damp places. Therefore, it is so necessary to properly prepare the landing hole. The size of the hole depends on the size of the root system. Experts advise a depth of about 50 cm. But it would be more correct to focus on the root ball. The hole is dug 20 - 35 cm deeper than the height of the root ball and 10 - 25 cm more than its width. Rhododendrons have a superficial root system, and it is very important to put drainage at the bottom of the pit (expanded clay, coarse sand, broken brick, fine gravel), the layer of which is at least 20 cm.
The soil for filling the pit is prepared separately. Such a mixture is suitable: leafy soil (3 parts), softwood bedding from the forest (1 part) and peat (2 parts), you can also use fine coniferous bark. About 60 - 70 g of mineral fertilizer per pit is added to the mixture. Fertilizers should not contain chlorine and calcium. You can use the fertilizer "Kemira wagon" (now it has a different name, "Fertika"). When landing, care must be taken not to deepen root collar rhododendron. It is necessary to plant a plant as it sat in a pot. Planting is allowed 2 - 3 cm deeper, taking into account the draft of the plant.
Care
With good fuel landing pit, rhododendrons can do without additional feeding for two years. In the future, two main nutrient top dressings are introduced annually. The first - in early spring in a dry form. It includes urea (nitrogen, 2 parts), superphosphate (1 part) and potassium sulfate (1.5 parts). Large doses of superphosphate are dangerous for rhododendrons. Phosphorus inhibits the absorption of iron, important element in the development of plants, which becomes noticeable on the leaves (chlorosis).
The second time in liquid form, a complex fertilizer is applied. It is desirable that the nitrogen content in it be low. It is better to feed in small concentrations. Extra salt rhododendrons do not accept.
In dry weather, plants need watering, spraying. Rhododendrons love moist air. After rains or heavy watering, you can loosen the ground around the roots. This should be done carefully, not deep, so as not to tear the roots. The best way out is mulching with peat, forest needles, sawdust.
The rhododendron plant is a native of Heather. In translation, the name rhododendron means pink tree. It's pretty famous plant in cultivation at home, and the common people call it indoor rhododendron.
General information
The plant is common in the Northern Hemisphere. Less common in Japan, Asia, North America. In the Ukrainian expanses, this plant grows in the subalpine zone, and only the Carpathian rhododendron. But only there it is called in its own way "Chervona Ruta". This species is listed in the Red Book.
The rhododendron flower grows in nature both in groups and single individuals. It is found on the slopes of mountains in swampy areas and in the tundra.
Rhododendron is an almost evergreen shrub plant or tree. The height of miniature species ranges from 10 cm to one meter, and there are exceptions, the height of which is about 30 meters.
The leaves of the plant are of various shapes and sizes too. The foliage is arranged in a spiral pattern. The shape of the leaf is an oblong oval with a slight pubescence. Inflorescences are presented in racemes or corymbs, sometimes solitary. The corolla has a sunny or pinkish hue.
The fruits are formed in the form of boxes with many seeds. There are about 1300 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 upwards. The foliage is elliptical in shape, about 4 cm long and up to 1.5 cm wide. Inflorescences solitary, gently purple hue. Flowering begins in mid-summer, after the full appearance of the leaves.
A vigorous shrub. The height of this species is about 3 meters. The foliage is oblong about 12 cm long. Inflorescences are presented up to 10 flowers in racemes and have a pleasant aroma. Flowering occurs at the end of spring.
It is an evergreen bush with many leaves reaching a height of 4 meters, but to a greater extent the width of the bush exceeds the 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.
An accelerating view of about two meters in height. The leaves are similar in shape to maple and are located at the ends of the stems. The inflorescences are pale pink interspersed, the diameter of the flower 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 long, slightly pubescent. AT autumn period has a yellowish-red hue. Inflorescences are scarlet of a sunny shade, about 8 cm in diameter with a pleasant aroma. Flowering begins in the last month of spring. The duration of flowering is more than a month.
Pretty common. Due to the abundance of flowers, the leaves are almost completely invisible. The height is about one meter. Bell-shaped inflorescences. The shade of the flower is scarlet, yellow or pink.
Is not large sizes shrub up to half a meter in height. In adult individuals of the plant, the shade of the bark is a dark gray shade. The leaves of the species are elongated with a rounded end. Juveniles have an individually pleasant, but more pungent aroma.
The inflorescences of the species have a light pink hue, without aroma. There are about 15 flowers in racemes. Flowering lasts all summer.
About 1 meter 20 centimeters high. With a brown shade of bark. Shoots have a more accelerating character.
The leaves are oblong and oval in shape. With inside 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. Blooms in spring and is a good honey plant. The hybrid look is quite demanding in care and planting.
Not a large shrub. Spreading shoots. The foliage is alternate, about 8 cm long, the surface of the leaf is an olive shade, and on the inside a less distinct shade. Inflorescences on high legs, about 5 flowers on one. After flowering, the fruit is a box with small seeds. The aroma of the plant is similar to the smell of fresh strawberries.
Not a voluminous tree shaped like a ball. The foliage is narrowed, dense, glossy outside. The shade of the leaves is a dark olive shade on the outside, and on the inside it has chocolate shade with small villi.
Inflorescences are about 7 cm in diameter. Starting flowering, the petals have a pale pink hue, and by the end they become saturated White color. Flowering begins towards the end of spring.
Has a spherical bush. Hybrid plant from Katevsbinsky rhododendron. The species was bred in 1851. The height of the plant is about 3 meters. Leaves are medium sized and elliptical in shape. Inflorescences with a pink tint and crimson spots. Flowering begins in late spring and lasts about a month.
Rhododendron planting and care
The landing site should be selected slightly shaded. Preferably the northern part. It is preferable to plant rhododendron in early spring, in the first months of spring.
Rhododendron transplantation is done in the fall before the start of frost. Also, transplantation can be done at any required period, only a month before flowering, or after the plant has faded a few weeks later.
soil for rhododendrons
The soil for planting should be light, loose with good layer drainage. It is important that the soil is acidic and with sufficient fertilizer. Suitable high-moor peat and loamy soil in a ratio of 8: 3.
Stagnation of moisture must be avoided, otherwise the plant will die. It is necessary to plant a plant in a prepared hole about half a meter in diameter and the same depth.
To acidify the soil for rhododendrons. It is necessary to introduce processed sawdust from coniferous trees or rotted needles of conifers.
At home, you can check if your soil needs acidification. To do this, you will need to pour currant or cherry leaves with boiling water, and when the water has cooled, throw some earth. If the water changes color to blue, then the soil needs acidification, if red, then it is normal. And if it changes color to green, then the soil is neutral.
Caring for the plant does not require special skills, you just need to loosen the soil in time and remove weeds.
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 up to 30 cm deep. It is possible to determine whether it is necessary to water by the appearance of the foliage, if they become faded and dull, then moisturizing is necessary.
Rhododendron loves sufficiently humidified air about 65%, therefore it requires frequent spraying of the leaves.
Fertilizer for rhododendrons
The plant should be fertilized from early spring to the end of flowering in mid-summer. Feed with cow liquid manure along with water in a ratio of 1:15. Before fertilizing, the plant must be watered.
The most practical fertilizer option is during the early spring period of mineral and organic complex fertilizers. During flowering cow dung.
Autumn fertilizers for rhododendrons are necessary after flowering. Phosphate and potassium fertilizers are suitable for this.
pruning rhododendrons
Trimming the plant is required as needed to create desired shape. Pruning is done in early spring, before growing season. Dry shoots are cut off and old branches are rejuvenated, the thickness of which is about 4 cm.
Plants that overwintered poorly or are outdated must be completely rejuvenated by cutting off all shoots at a height of about 30 cm from the ground.
Shelter of 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.
Reproduction of rhododendrons by cuttings
To do this, cuttings are cut 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 open for watering and ventilation. Rooting occurs up to 4.5 months. After rooting, the cuttings are transplanted into a mixture of peat and needles.
Reproduction of rhododendrons by layering
To do this, in the spring, a young shoot is added dropwise into a small recess about 16 cm deep and sprinkled with soil, during summer period watered, and when rooting occurs, they are transplanted separately.
Rhododendron propagation by seeds
Seeds must be sown in a container with prepared peat, to a depth of about a centimeter. The container is covered with glass and periodically ventilated and moistened the soil. The temperature for seed germination is about 15 degrees.
none garden plant cannot develop and bloom normally without top dressing. The nutrients in the soil are not enough for them, especially if this plant blooms so beautifully, and for as long as a rhododendron.
Feeding is very important
With proper care, some types of rhododendron are able to delight with flowers from mid-spring to early autumn. Moreover, the leaves of this wonderful plant do not fall in the fall, all year round staying fresh and green. And it takes a lot of effort and useful substances, which must be constantly replenished with top dressing.
The lack of fertilizers immediately affects the rhododendron - the leaves become light, faded, their wonderful glossy sheen disappears, the shoots do not grow so fast, new buds do not tie.
Top dressing of rhododendrons begins even during planting, riding peat is poured into the hole, or an acidic soil mixture of peat, leafy and coniferous soil, river sand, sawdust, mineral fertilizers, 50 grams of sulfur.
What do rhododendrons love? Fertilizers are applied in liquid form already 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 the introduction of 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 improves and horn shavings, decomposing, it saturates the earth with nitrogen and phosphorus.
For top dressing, organic matter is diluted in water in a ratio of 1x15, the plant is not watered immediately with a mixture, but allowed to brew 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 either, this is superphosphate diluted in water at the rate of 300-400 grams of dry fertilizers per 10 liters of water. Sometimes the 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 rotted manure 5 cm thick is poured under the bush, in spring, the nutrients from it will get to the roots along with melt water.
A good result is given by foliar, foliar top dressing with a one percent solution of potassium sulfate, they are carried out in the summer.
Rhododendron loves acidic soil, so in the autumn the near-trunk circle can be covered with peat, and in the spring add potassium nitrate, ammonium sulphate, potassium, magnesium, and potassium nitrate.
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, diluted in a ratio of 1 ml per bucket of water.
Some gardeners use battery electrolyte, it will take 10-20 ml per bucket of water. In addition to acid, the electrolyte contains sulfur, which is also necessary for rhododendrons.
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