Rhododendron - planting and care in the open ground

One of the most beautiful garden flowers is considered to be the rhododendron. Its genus includes more than 1000 species and many varieties of these magnificent plants. In nature, they grow in the eastern countries: Korea, Japan, China. You can meet him in North America, Australia and even in the Himalayas.

The rhododendron is a flowering or evergreen deciduous plant that belongs to the heather family. The branches of the shrubs have a smooth bark, although they may be pubescent. Skin dark green leaves are usually ovoid in shape. Coloring terry and simple bell-shaped flowers of the rhododendron can be white or pink, lilac or red, and even purple.

In areas with a moderate climate, rhododendrons of three main types are grown: evergreen, semi-evergreen and deciduous.

Rhododendron in the garden - planting, growing and care in the open ground

Plant the rhododendron in the open ground either in spring or in autumn. Particular attention should be paid to the choice of a landing site, which must be protected from cold winds and bright sun rays. At the same time, this shrub should be planted in a prominent place, and then the blooming rhododendron will be a magnificent ornament of the garden.

Planting pit under the plant should be excavated in such a way that it was twice the size of the roots of the rhododendron. The soil for planting shrubs should consist of equal parts of heath land, humus or garden soil, peat, needles and overgrown manure . If the groundwater in your area approaches close to the soil surface, then at the bottom of the landing pit, make sure to drain.

Before planting the rhododendron in the ground, it must be well spilled in the container with water. If the plant has buds or flowers, they are removed.

The planting pit should be moistened to a depth of up to 30 cm. The saplings should be placed in a pit strictly vertically and the roots covered with earth mixture. The soil needs to be squeezed around the seedlings well, so that the roots do not have voids, and shrivel with fine peat.

Planted plant requires careful care. Water the rhododendron should be abundant, slightly acidified with soft water, but without overflow. The rhododendron, which was planted in the spring, besides abundant watering, also needs to be sprayed on the leaves.

Loosening of the soil under the bushes is carried out very carefully, so as not to damage the thin rootlets of the plant. Fight the weeds throughout the season.

Overgrown shrubs require regular pruning. In this case, do not forget to cover the cuts with the garden sauce .

In the first year after planting, the rhododendron must be fed. To do this, use half-baked manure, infused on water. In addition, in order to increase the number of buds, and also to extend the flowering period of the plant, it is recommended to fertilize rhododendron with granular superphosphate. A plant is also needed in micronutrients, which are introduced during irrigation or by spraying shrubs.

Caring for rhododendrons in autumn

For the winter, rhododendron must be provided with additional care. First, the bushes must be covered with peat. At the onset of small frosts over plants are made small arc-shaped frames, which are covered with lutrasil and dense film. And such a shelter should be high enough that under the weight of snow it does not break the plants. This shelter is completely closed only when deciduous plants drop foliage and stable minus temperatures are established.

Insufficient care for rhododendron can cause diseases (chlorosis, blotchiness, rust) and plant damage to pests. Perhaps the disease of the shrub is late blight, gray rot.

Thanks to the decorative long blossoming of rhododendrons, these plants are often used in the design of landscapes of gardens and parks.