Will rhododendrons and azaleas grow in clay soil?

"Nick" wrote in message
ps.com...
Will rhododendrons and azaleas grow in clay soil?


Not happily, they won't. Have you ever walked through the kind of forest
where your feet sink 6" into the amazing leaf mold that lies on top of soil
that's moist & fluffy? That's their favorite environment. Both things
contribute to this - the leaf mold *and* the soil underneath, so just piling
leaves on top of clay soil won't do the trick, at least not in the short
term. If you want to grow these things, you'll need to improve the clay
soil, which can take 2-3 years if you really work at it, or forever if you
make a half-hearted effort.

In article om,
"Nick" wrote:

Will rhododendrons and azaleas grow in clay soil?

No, because clay soil does not drain. Rhododendrons and azaleas need
three things, acidic soil, drainage and drainage. The normal remedy is
to use a raised bed. Rhododendrons and azaleas have shallow roots, so
the raised bed only needs to be 6 to 12 inches above grade. Create it by
creating a mound or berm, or a raised planting bed using a retaining
curb such as logs, timbers or rocks. It is best if the base is a
material with good drainage like gravel. Then at least 6 of 8 inches of
good acidic, well-drained soil above that. If you use a lot of peatmoss
or compost remember, the peatmoss and compost will decompose over time
to 1Ž2 the original depth, so make the bed proportionately deeper.
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Visit my Rhododendron and Azalea web pages at:
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Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA Zone 6

"Stephen Henning" wrote in message
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In article om,
"Nick" wrote:

Will rhododendrons and azaleas grow in clay soil?

No, because clay soil does not drain. Rhododendrons and azaleas need
three things, acidic soil, drainage and drainage. The normal remedy is
to use a raised bed. Rhododendrons and azaleas have shallow roots, so
the raised bed only needs to be 6 to 12 inches above grade. Create it by
creating a mound or berm, or a raised planting bed using a retaining
curb such as logs, timbers or rocks. It is best if the base is a
material with good drainage like gravel. Then at least 6 of 8 inches of
good acidic, well-drained soil above that. If you use a lot of peatmoss
or compost remember, the peatmoss and compost will decompose over time
to 1Z2 the original depth, so make the bed proportionately deeper.


Some thought always needs to go into designing raised beds to keep the soil
from washing away in hard rains.

"Nick" wrote in message
Will rhododendrons and azaleas grow in clay soil?

I have rhodo that does. But depends on how much clay you are talking
about. Nothing will grow in pure clay but, yes in clayey soil.

Nick wrote:
Will rhododendrons and azaleas grow in clay soil?

In my childhood home (Perth hills) we grew masses of Camelias
and Azalias in heavy clay soil. They thrived. Don't think we did
Rhododendrons.

I have had good luck with PJM Rhododendrons in less than ideal soil (poor
drainage).

"Nick" wrote:

Will rhododendrons and azaleas grow in clay soil?

"Farm1" please@askifyouwannaknow wrote:

"Nick" wrote in message
Will rhododendrons and azaleas grow in clay soil?

I have rhodo that does. But depends on how much clay you are talking
about. Nothing will grow in pure clay but, yes in clayey soil.

The clay is not a problem, but the poor drainage that it creates is a
big problem. Very few plants will grow in pockets in clay soil that
doesn't drain. They drown. Pond plants will do OK though. Most farm
ponds are built with a clay lining. That is how good pure clay is at
preventing water from penetrating. If you soil doesn't retain water
like that, then it is not a pure clay soil.
--
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

"Stephen Henning" wrote in message
"Farm1" please@askifyouwannaknow wrote:
"Nick" wrote in message
Will rhododendrons and azaleas grow in clay soil?

I have rhodo that does. But depends on how much clay you are
talking
about. Nothing will grow in pure clay but, yes in clayey soil.

The clay is not a problem, but the poor drainage that it creates is
a
big problem. Very few plants will grow in pockets in clay soil that
doesn't drain. They drown. Pond plants will do OK though. Most
farm
ponds are built with a clay lining. That is how good pure clay is
at
preventing water from penetrating. If you soil doesn't retain water
like that, then it is not a pure clay soil.

Sigh! Why is it that people don't seem to bother what was written but
rather reply to what they fancy might have been written?

Not all soil that is a clay based soil will be pure clay and even if
it is pure clay then the role of a gardener is to amend that pure clay
so that it is no longer pure clay.

And in addition, one needs moisture to actually have a plant drown
even in pure clay and that is a very rare commodity these days in half
of the groups to which this question was origianally posted.

"Farm1" please@askifyouwannaknow wrote:

"Stephen Henning" wrote in message
"Farm1" please@askifyouwannaknow wrote:
I have rhodo that does. But depends on how much clay you are talking
about. Nothing will grow in pure clay but, yes in clayey soil.

The clay is not a problem, but the poor drainage that it creates is
a big problem. Very few plants will grow in pockets in clay soil that
doesn't drain. They drown. Pond plants will do OK though. Most
ponds are built with a clay lining. That is how good pure clay is
preventing water from penetrating. If your soil doesn't retain water
like that, then it is not a pure clay soil and that is why your rhodo
is doing well.

One needs moisture to actually have a plant drown
even in pure clay and that is a very rare commodity these days in half
of the groups to which this question was origianally posted.

Then I doubt they are growing rhododendrons since rhododendrons need
moist well-drained soil. I never found a rhododendron growing in a
desert or prairie.

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman

"Stephen Henning" wrote in message
"Farm1" please@askifyouwannaknow wrote:
"Stephen Henning" wrote in message
"Farm1" please@askifyouwannaknow wrote:
I have rhodo that does. But depends on how much clay you are
talking
about. Nothing will grow in pure clay but, yes in clayey
soil.

The clay is not a problem, but the poor drainage that it creates
is
a big problem. Very few plants will grow in pockets in clay soil
that
doesn't drain. They drown. Pond plants will do OK though.
Most
ponds are built with a clay lining. That is how good pure clay
is
preventing water from penetrating. If your soil doesn't retain
water
like that, then it is not a pure clay soil and that is why your
rhodo
is doing well.

One needs moisture to actually have a plant drown
even in pure clay and that is a very rare commodity these days in
half
of the groups to which this question was origianally posted.

Then I doubt they are growing rhododendrons since rhododendrons need
moist well-drained soil. I never found a rhododendron growing in a
desert or prairie.

Australia has had 5 years of continuous drought with about 98% of the
country drought declared, but even then I am growing a rhodo in clayey
soil. Hoses and even watering cans work quite well to supply water.