http://www.alanirl.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

About to scrape up my lawn, interested in knowing if this thing is worth
keeping!



al

It looks like a rhododendron to me. I had a similar-looking one that I
rescued from underneath a leylandii hedge. I re-planted it and 2 years
later it flowered and is beginning to look a lot better.

Regards.


"al" wrote in message
...
http://www.alanirl.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

About to scrape up my lawn, interested in knowing if this thing is worth
keeping!



al

Subject: What plant is this?
From: "al"
Date: 06/06/2003 19:35 GMT Daylight Time
Message-id:

http://www.alanirl.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

About to scrape up my lawn, interested in knowing if this thing is worth
keeping!

Looks like an Azeala or Rhodendron sp?. Personally I can't stand them, but
many people seem to like them and if it has flowers that you like then keep it,
if not...
****************************
Rhiannon
http://www.members.aol.com/mddestiny/entrypage.html
ClipclopclipclopBANGBANGclipclopclip
-- Amish driveby shooting

I'd replant it in a suitable shady or semi-shady spot, give it a feed with
an ericaceous tonic or sequestered iron tonic and see what you get this time
next year.



"al" wrote in message
...
http://www.alanirl.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

About to scrape up my lawn, interested in knowing if this thing is worth
keeping!



al

"Joan" wrote in message
news
I'd replant it in a suitable shady or semi-shady spot, give it a feed with
an ericaceous tonic or sequestered iron tonic and see what you get this
time
next year.



Thanks for all the replies ... when do they normally flower and how
aggressively can they be pruned back in the autumn?



al

They generally flower in May. I don't think they like agressive pruning as
I think they can be a bit touchy. However, I pruned mine right back and it
recovered okay after a couple of years. I think they should be pruned
immediately after flowering (which would be now). Prune back to a healthy
bud. Do you need to prune yours back, though? It looks well enough, other
than it being a bit pale, which the tonic should fix. I'm no expert,
though.




"al" wrote in message
...
"Joan" wrote in message
news
I'd replant it in a suitable shady or semi-shady spot, give it a feed
with
an ericaceous tonic or sequestered iron tonic and see what you get this
time
next year.



Thanks for all the replies ... when do they normally flower and how
aggressively can they be pruned back in the autumn?



al

"Joan" wrote in message
news
I'd replant it in a suitable shady or semi-shady spot, give it a feed with
an ericaceous tonic or sequestered iron tonic and see what you get this
time
next year.

Would it thrive well in a large pot of compost? It's going to be a month or
so before the garden is ready for planting again? Also, how deep do their
roots generally go - I'm going to have to do some very aggressive digging to
get it out, the grass around it has made the ground extremely tough!


al

"Joan" wrote in message
...
They generally flower in May. I don't think they like agressive pruning
as
I think they can be a bit touchy. However, I pruned mine right back and
it
recovered okay after a couple of years. I think they should be pruned
immediately after flowering (which would be now). Prune back to a healthy
bud. Do you need to prune yours back, though? It looks well enough,
other
than it being a bit pale, which the tonic should fix. I'm no expert,
though.


That was more for the future really, it's very small now. They grow quite
big normally though don't they?




al

"al" wrote in message
...
"Joan" wrote in message
...
They generally flower in May. I don't think they like agressive pruning
as
I think they can be a bit touchy. However, I pruned mine right back and
it
recovered okay after a couple of years. I think they should be pruned
immediately after flowering (which would be now). Prune back to a
healthy
bud. Do you need to prune yours back, though? It looks well enough,
other
than it being a bit pale, which the tonic should fix. I'm no expert,
though.


That was more for the future really, it's very small now. They grow quite
big normally though don't they?




al



I think it's a case of lightly prune as and when required.
L

Would it thrive well in a large pot of compost? It's going to be a month or
so before the garden is ready for planting again? Also, how deep do their
roots generally go - I'm going to have to do some very aggressive digging to
get it out, the grass around it has made the ground extremely tough!


al

Your Rhododendron would prefer to be moved when it is dormant. Between October
and March is usually recomended. It could probably do with a liquid feed
sprayed directly over the leaves for best results, but not in bright sunshine
of course. I've had just a very brief look through some reference books and
from first glance Rhododendrons can flower anywhere from mid-winter to
mid-summer depending on what variety you have. Though they can be kept in pots
it means regular watering throughout the summer, so think about whether you can
get someone to do watering for you if you're away for two weeks on holiday.
Also think about whether your water supply is hard (lime) and whether you have
a source of rainwater if it is. I'd suggest it's best left where it is, or
move it during the winter avoiding frosts to somewhere else in the garden.

Hope this helps,

Dave.

"DaveDay34" wrote in message
news:20030606165750.18529.00000185@mb-
Your Rhododendron would prefer to be moved when it is dormant. Between
October
and March is usually recomended. It could probably do with a liquid feed
sprayed directly over the leaves for best results, but not in bright
sunshine
of course. I've had just a very brief look through some reference books
and
from first glance Rhododendrons can flower anywhere from mid-winter to
mid-summer depending on what variety you have. Though they can be kept in
pots
it means regular watering throughout the summer, so think about whether
you can
get someone to do watering for you if you're away for two weeks on
holiday.
Also think about whether your water supply is hard (lime) and whether you
have
a source of rainwater if it is. I'd suggest it's best left where it is,
or
move it during the winter avoiding frosts to somewhere else in the garden.


Thanks for the info. It's a case of move it or loose it though, like I
said, the entire garden is being scraped up quite soon. I'll stick it in a
deep pot for now and give it a heavy watering every few days if I can dig it
out without breaking my back!!



al

If it has to be moved now then keep it somewhere as shaded as possible
through the Summer.
I would use Peat with water retention gell crystals mixed in to pot it into,
and would give it a good feed of a high nitrogen feed.


--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

Xref: kermit uk.rec.gardening:148455

It looks as if you have poor soil that is low in humus, when you replant the
Rhodo.. assuming it lives through it lifting... I would dig in a load of
peat into an area about 4 ft across and about 12 to 15 inches deep, rhodo's
are not deep rooted, then every couple of years give it a mulch of a couple
of inches of peat.
make sure that it doesn't dry out late May to early July as that is when
next years flower buds are initiated

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

"David Hill" wrote in message
...
It looks as if you have poor soil that is low in humus, when you replant
the
Rhodo.. assuming it lives through it lifting... I would dig in a load of
peat into an area about 4 ft across and about 12 to 15 inches deep,
rhodo's
are not deep rooted, then every couple of years give it a mulch of a
couple
of inches of peat.
make sure that it doesn't dry out late May to early July as that is when
next years flower buds are initiated

And for a minute there I thought you were talking about crushed chick-peas!


So lots of water and not too much sunshine sound like the common factors
here. Of course this assumes that not just the plant, but I too survive the
lifting ....



al

".....Of course this assumes that not just the plant, but I too survive the
lifting ............"

If not you'll require a strong wooden box aprox 6 ft long by........
and someone to enlarge the hole that the rhodo came out of.


--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk