Hello there,

I was given a rhododendron as a gift and have planted it in my garden
but after reading up on them I tested my soil which is quite acidic.

Please can anyone offer advice as to feeds, plant care, etc to make
sure that my rhododendron remains healthy?

Many thanks,

John.

"JRB" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello there,

I was given a rhododendron as a gift and have planted it in my garden
but after reading up on them I tested my soil which is quite acidic.

Please can anyone offer advice as to feeds, plant care, etc to make
sure that my rhododendron remains healthy?

Many thanks,

John.


John, Rhodies like morning sun and afternoon shade. they also like a well
drained soil. If your soil is heavy in clay, you will have to ammend the
soil. Rhodies also like to be protected from the prevailing winter winds in
your area. If you want to feed them, I recommend a product called "Holly
Tone" by Espoma... it is formulated especially for rhodies , azalias and
other evergreens.

this link will be of great help and so will both the public library and/or
your local certified nurseryman

http://www.rhodo.com/Care.cfm


anthony B.

"Anthony B" wrote:

John, Rhodies like morning sun and afternoon shade.

Some do and some don't. Some need more sun in order to set flower buds
and to prevent a tall gangly habit. Others like more shade to prevent
sunburn, rhododendron lace bugs, and fading of the flowers. Each
species and each variety is a little different and like different
things. Many will tolerate summer sun but don't like winter sun in
areas where the ground freezes.

they also like a well drained soil. If your soil is heavy in clay,
you will have to ammend the soil.

And if the soil is heavy and not well drained you will have to raise the
rhododendrons in a raised bed. Otherwise the amended soil will be in a
pool of heavy soil and still not drain.

Rhodies also like to be protected from the prevailing winter winds in
your area.

Also, many like to be protected from winter sun. This is especially
true in colder climates where the rhododendrons harden off during the
winter.

If you want to feed them, I recommend a product called "Holly
Tone" by Espoma... it is formulated especially for rhodies , azalias and
other evergreens.

This is a very good product, but most rhododendrons don't need feeding.
If your rhododendrons don't look too healthy, then you might experiment
with fertilizing but apply at half the rate recommended on the package
and then only apply when needed which is very seldom.
--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
Visit my Rhododendron and Azalea web pages at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/rhody.html
Also visit the Rhododendron and Azalea Bookstore at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/rhodybooks.html
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA Zone 6

"Anthony B" wrote in message

"JRB" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello there,

I was given a rhododendron as a gift and have planted it in
my
garden but after reading up on them I tested my soil which is
quite acidic. Please can anyone offer advice as to feeds,
plant care, etc to
make sure that my rhododendron remains healthy?

Many thanks,

John.


John, Rhodies like morning sun and afternoon shade. they also
like
a well drained soil. If your soil is heavy in clay, you will
have
to ammend the soil. Rhodies also like to be protected from the
prevailing winter winds in your area. If you want to feed
them, I
recommend a product called "Holly Tone" by Espoma... it is
formulated especially for rhodies , azalias and other
evergreens.

this link will be of great help and so will both the public
library
and/or your local certified nurseryman

http://www.rhodo.com/Care.cfm


anthony B.

Rhodys like an acid soil.

--

Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington
USDA Zone 8
Sunset Zone 5

Sorry, I should have wrote 'quite alkaline' soil instead of 'quite
acidic'.

John.

"JRB" wrote:

Sorry, I should have wrote 'quite alkaline' soil instead of 'quite
acidic'.

This is a problem but it will show up in the color of the leaves, not
the lack of flowers. Yellowing of a leaf between dark green veins is
called chlorosis. Chlorosis can be caused by malnutrition caused by
alkalinity of the soil, potassium deficiency, calcium deficiency, iron
deficiency or magnesium deficiency. A combination of acidification with
sulfur and iron supplements such as chelated iron or iron sulfate will
usually treat this problem. Chlorosis can also be caused by nitrogen
toxicity (usually caused by nitrate fertilizers).

The most important factor in achieving vigorous growth is an acid soil
mixture high in organic content. Rhododendrons and azaleas need an acid
soil with a pH of 5.0 to 6.0, well mulched with organic material.
Rhododendrons thrive in a moist, well-drained, humus-filled soil,
enriched with peat moss or leaf mold. Prepare the soil by thoroughly
mixing equal parts of loam, coarse sand and ground oak leaves or redwood
before planting. Many commercial growers root rhododendrons and azaleas
in pure sphagnum peat, or in a 50-50 mixture of sphagnum peat and coarse
sand or perlite. A favorite mixture on the West Coast is 1/2 sphagnum
peat and 1/2 ground bark dust, but in such mixtures, plants must be fed
regularly. My favorite soil mix is a 50-50 mix of peat humus and the
natural soil. Soil around the rhododendron's shallow roots must be kept
cool and moist but well drained.

If the soil is too alkaline, acidity may be increased by adding flowers
of sulfur (powdered sulfur) or iron sulfate. I add 1 tablespoon of
sulfur powder around the base of any plant showing signs of chlorosis.
Do not use aluminum sulfate. Aluminum can build up in the soil to toxic
levels eventually. One very common source of chlorosis is when lime
leaches out of concrete, such as from a foundation or walkway, making
the nearby soil more alkaline. This problem decreases each year as the
concrete ages. An annual application of sulfur can compensate for this
problem.

Sphagnum peat or peat moss is a super soil amendment. Researchers claim
that plants planted in mixes containing sphagnum peat will resist
disease better. The sphagnum peat in the soil does regulate the
availability of water so the roots are not too wet, but also the
sphagnum is said to provide protection against disease.
--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
Visit my Rhododendron and Azalea web pages at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/rhody.html
Also visit the Rhododendron and Azalea Bookstore at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/rhodybooks.html
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA Zone 6

Chlorosis can also be caused by nitrogen
toxicity (usually caused by nitrate fertilizers).

I didn't know that! My Brittany often uses a fairly young (30" high)
rhodie as a urinal. Is that going to provide a dangerous amount of
nitrogen?

Thanks. vince norris

Chlorosis can also be caused by nitrogen
toxicity (usually caused by nitrate fertilizers).

I didn't know that! My Brittany often uses a fairly young (30"
high)
rhodie as a urinal. Is that going to provide a dangerous amount of
nitrogen?

The salt in the urine will most likely get it 1st.

Tom J
who has brown lawn patches from the neighbors dogs

Thanks for the response. I am puzzled, however, by the many posts
here about dogs spoiling lawns. This Brittany is my fourth dog, in
the same yard, and I have NEVER in 40 years had a problem with brown
spots from dog urine. All my dogs have been neutered. I don't know if
that's the reason, but I can't think of any other reason, either.

vince norris

vincent p. norris wrote:

Chlorosis can also be caused by nitrogen
toxicity (usually caused by nitrate fertilizers).

I didn't know that! My Brittany often uses a fairly young (30"
high)
rhodie as a urinal. Is that going to provide a dangerous amount of
nitrogen?

The salt in the urine will most likely get it 1st.

Tom J
who has brown lawn patches from the neighbors dogs


Thanks for the response. I am puzzled, however, by the many posts
here about dogs spoiling lawns. This Brittany is my fourth dog, in
the same yard, and I have NEVER in 40 years had a problem with brown
spots from dog urine. All my dogs have been neutered. I don't know if
that's the reason, but I can't think of any other reason, either.

vince norris




Sometimes I spill semen into my rhody after I get done tending to my
goats at my home in Mount Pocono PA. The acid in the semen helps to
fertilize my goats and rhodeodendrons !!

--Joseph Bartlo--

"vincent p. norris" wrote in message

Chlorosis can also be caused by nitrogen
toxicity (usually caused by nitrate fertilizers).

I didn't know that! My Brittany often uses a fairly young
(30"
high)
rhodie as a urinal. Is that going to provide a dangerous
amount
of nitrogen?

The salt in the urine will most likely get it 1st.

Tom J
who has brown lawn patches from the neighbors dogs

Thanks for the response. I am puzzled, however, by the many
posts
here about dogs spoiling lawns. This Brittany is my fourth
dog, in
the same yard, and I have NEVER in 40 years had a problem with
brown
spots from dog urine. All my dogs have been neutered. I don't
know
if that's the reason, but I can't think of any other reason,
either.

vince norris

It is usually female dogs. Males even when neutered lift their
leg and so the urine is not concentrated in one spot like it is
when a female dog squats.

--

Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington
USDA Zone 8
Sunset Zone 5