Planting and caring for rhododendrons in the Urals, preparing for winter

Rhododendrons are distinguished by their unpretentiousness and beautiful appearance. Breeders have developed many varieties of this plant. There are also frost-resistant rhododendrons for growing in the Urals, the care and planting of which are not difficult. The only requirement that the plant makes is that the soil must be acidic. In slightly acidic or neutral soil, the survival rate of seedlings decreases.

Description, characteristics and features

Rhododendron is a bushy shrub with a shallow root system. Most plant varieties have erect stems. But in those shrubs the branches bend to the soil.

The leaves of rhododendrons are distinguished by a wide variety:

• sessile;
• with petioles;
• entire;
• regular;
• ovoid;
• pubescent and others.

There are 18 species of rhododendrons growing in Russia. In the Urals, only compact shrubs can grow.

There are home and garden rhododendron (azaleas). The flowers of the plant are bisexual, with a large corolla, the shade of which varies from yellow to purple.

Frost-resistant varieties

Due to the short summers and winters, during which the air temperature often drops below -30 degrees, only frost-resistant crops can grow in the Urals. Among rhododendrons, there are 10 species that meet this requirement.

Peares American Beauty

It is considered one of the best varieties of rhododendrons that can withstand prolonged frosts. The height of the bush reaches 1.5 meters. The flowering of the plant begins in May and ends in June. The bush grows in acidic soil. The color of the flowers varies from pink to golden red.

Calsap

The height of the bush is 1.4 meters, the width of the crown is 1.3 meters. Calsap branches produce white flowers with a faint pink tint. The shrub grows in acidic and loose soils.

Daursky

The maximum height of the Daurian rhododendron, which prefers to grow in coniferous forests or on rocks, is 3 meters.Leaves up to two centimeters long change shade from green to red over the course of the season. The first pinkish-purple flowers appear in mid-spring. The leaves of this shrub do not fall off in winter.

Ledeboura

Ledebura (maral grass) is a two-meter shrub with a compactly located crown. The plant retains leaves during the winter, which fall in the spring, shortly before the flowers appear. The culture tolerates temperature drops down to -32 degrees.

Schlippenbach

The Schlippenbach variety is interesting because the bush produces white or pink flowers of a rich shade in the shape of a bell. The height of the plant does not exceed 1.6 meters.

Haaga

Finnish variety of rhododendrons Haaga with a branched and spherical crown and large deep pink flowers that appear in mid-July and fall in July. Leaves with orange dots do not change color throughout the season.

Mauritz

A hybrid variety with a dense and well-branched crown, dark green leaves and cherry-red flowers. The plant can withstand temperatures dropping to -30 degrees.

Mikkeli

Another hybrid characterized by unusually shaped leaves and light pink flowers that bloom in June. The first strong buds appear on the bush 2-3 years after planting. The height of the bush exceeds two meters.

Peter Tigerstedt

The hybrid variety, bred in Finland, is distinguished by large funnel-shaped white flowers and an evergreen crown. The length of the branches of the bush does not exceed two meters.

Landing dates

Due to the fact that frost-resistant rhododendrons generally have an open root system, it is recommended to plant the shrub in early spring. In this case, it is necessary to choose areas where the scorching sun does not penetrate.Plant varieties with a closed root system can be planted from April to October.

Site selection and soil requirements

Rhododendrons develop well in shaded areas where oblique rays of sunlight penetrate. The optimal zone is on the north side of the site, located near the house or next to tall trees. Also suitable for planting is a place near water bodies, as the crop loves moist air.

Rhododendrons can grow exclusively in acidic and loose soil. Therefore, before planting, you will need to add peat with pine needles or another substrate to the soil, which will create optimal conditions for the development of the shrub.

How to choose the right seedling?

To avoid problems in the future, it is recommended to purchase seedlings in specialized stores. Before purchasing, you need to examine the bush, paying attention to the presence of visible damage and insects. You should purchase a plant with a closed root system.

Pit preparation and planting scheme

Before planting, it is recommended to soak the roots of the seedling in water for a day. For rhododendron you will need to dig a hole 60 centimeters wide and up to 40 centimeters deep. If necessary, the size of the hole can be increased. Then the hole should be filled with peat mixed with pine needles and dug again. This mixture is then used to bury the root system.

After this, a drainage layer is laid out at the bottom of the hole and a seedling is placed. At the end, the root system is dug in so that the neck remains at ground level. At the end of the manipulations, the seedling needs to be watered and mulched abundantly. If several rhododendrons are planted on the site at the same time, then a distance of 0.7 meters should be maintained between low-growing species, and 2 meters between tall ones.

Care

When growing rhododendrons in the Urals, you will need to follow the rules applicable to plants that are planted in other climatic conditions. The only difference is that shrubs require the installation of reliable shelter for the winter.

Watering

Rhododendrons require regular and abundant watering. Every week, up to two liters of clean water should be added to an adult shrub. During the growing season, when buds form on the branches, it is recommended to increase the frequency of watering. During the warm season, it is also necessary to periodically spray the bushes with a spray bottle. For irrigation, you should use rain or settled water with a low calcium content, which, with frequent treatment of the plant, accumulates near the root system.

Top dressing

It is recommended to feed rhododendrons in accordance with the following scheme:

1. The first feeding is in the spring. At this time, it is necessary to apply complex fertilizers containing nitrogen to the bush.
2. The second feeding is after the flowers fall (the period depends on the variety). At this time, superphosphates or ammonium are added under the bush. Specialized fertilizers designed for rhododendrons are also suitable.
3. Late summer - early autumn. During this period, the plant is not fed, since the application of fertilizers provokes the development of shoots, which can lead to the death of the bush after the onset of cold weather.

If the seedling is planted in the fall, it is recommended to apply the first fertilizing in the spring. For 2-3 years, it is necessary to remove the top layer of soil and add a mixture of peat and mullein.

Trimming

Rhododendrons are distinguished by their regularly shaped crown. Therefore, gardeners mainly prune young plants, removing shoots near the central bud. This pinching helps the bush to form the correct crown.It is necessary to remove branches in cases where the thickness of the shoot exceeds 24 centimeters or signs of disease are detected. After pinching, the cut area should be treated with oil paint.

Loosening and mulching

The root system of rhododendrons lies close to the soil surface. Therefore, gardeners avoid loosening the bushes. Mulching the soil using dry peat, pine needles or pine bark helps in the fight against weeds.

Protection from diseases and pests

When caterpillars or slugs appear on the surface of the leaves, these pests are removed mechanically. Insecticides help in the fight against aphids, scale insects, mites and weevils.

Common diseases of rhododendrons include rust (spotting) and rot. To treat the first, fungicides are used. A shrub affected by rot is destroyed. In order to prevent infection, it is recommended to adhere to the watering regime.

Preparing for winter

Preparation for winter begins shortly before the cold weather. It is not recommended to carry out this procedure in advance.

Watering

During the last watering, it is necessary to moisten the soil abundantly without using fertilizing.

Mulching

After the last watering, the root zone is mulched with a mixture of peat and spruce branches. Fallen leaves are also used for this.

Preparing the shelter

You can cover the bush from the wind with plastic wrap or straw. Before organizing protection, it is necessary to gather together and attach the branches to the ground. After this, the shoots must be covered with the selected material.

Reproduction

Rhododendrons reproduce by seeds, layering and cuttings. Gardeners often resort to the latter option.

Seeds

This reproduction option is considered the most labor-intensive.To grow a new shrub, you will need to plant the seeds in a pot with a mixture of peat and sand, taken in a 3:1 ratio. The soil is pre-moistened. Seeds are sown on the surface of the soil mixture and covered with sand. To accelerate the growth of planting material, it is necessary to cover the pot with film, which should be removed daily for a few minutes. The plant can be replanted in open ground after three or more leaves appear.

By cuttings

To propagate the bush, you will need to cut a woody shoot 10 centimeters long from the mother rhododendron in the spring. Then the branches are removed from the bottom of the cutting. The seedling is placed for a day in a solution that accelerates root growth. The next day, the cutting is planted in a pot with a mixture of peat and sand and covered with a jar on top.

Closer to autumn, the bush is transplanted into a wider container. Then the ground under the cuttings is mulched with peat and pine needles. During the winter, the container with the plant should be kept in a cool and dark room. After the onset of spring, the sprouted bush is transplanted into open ground.

By layering

In the spring, after the snow has melted, the lower branches of the bush need to be attached to the ground, making a small cut at the point of contact with the ground, secured with a pin and covered with peat. After a year, the cutting is separated from the mother bush and replanted.

Reviews

Antonina, Chelyabinsk

“I’ve been growing rhododendrons for several years now. The first seedlings died due to the fact that the soil did not meet the acidity requirements. Now there are four bushes growing on the site. Caring for the plant is not difficult. The only difficulty is collecting a dense crown to make a shelter.”

Vladimir, Magnitogorsk

“I tried to plant several varieties on the site, but only Mikkeli took root.In the two years that this shrub has been growing, I have never encountered diseases. Slugs have to be removed periodically. Also, for prevention, I treat the bush with fungicides and apply specialized fertilizers. They plan to plant another variety in the future.”