Rules for planting and caring for rhododendrons in the open ground, preparing for wintering

Planting and caring for rhododendrons in open ground has many features. First of all, it is important to choose the right place to grow this crop. In addition, it is necessary to water, fertilize, and prune in a timely manner. In order for the plant to grow and develop normally, it is recommended to protect it from diseases and pests. Preparing the bush for winter is of no small importance.

Description

Rhododendron is a bush or tree that belongs to the Heather family. Depending on the variety, crops are evergreen, deciduous or semi-deciduous. There are also annuals and perennials. All plants have different shapes of flowers, leaves, sizes, and colors of buds.

Flowers are characterized by superficial roots. They have many fibrous roots. Thanks to this, the crop can be easily moved to a new location. This helps her quickly adapt to other conditions.

The leaves of the flowers are sessile or petiolate. They can have an ovoid or obovate shape, with solid or serrated edges. Flowers form corymbose or racemose inflorescences. They can have pink, white, red and purple shades. Flowers are bell-shaped, tubular, funnel-shaped. After flowering is completed, a box with many seeds appears.

Properties

The plant has medicinal properties, which allows it to be used in medicine. The composition of some types of rhododendrons includes ericoline, andromedotoxin. They also contain arbutin and rhododendrin. The foliage includes ascorbic acid.

Thanks to its unique composition, the culture has an analgesic, sedative, and antipyretic effect. It also has diaphoretic and antibacterial properties. With the help of this culture, it is possible to remove excess fluid, cope with swelling, rapid heartbeat, and reduce blood pressure.

However, the plant cannot be considered completely safe. Substances made on its basis are prohibited for use by people with dangerous kidney pathologies and tissue death. They are also contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation.

Types and varieties

Today there are many varieties of plants that have certain characteristics.

Deciduous

A characteristic feature of such plants is that they shed their leaves for the winter. There are many crops that fall into this category.

Japanese

This plant has excellent decorative properties. This is a branched bush that grows up to 2 meters. The leaves are green in color. The flowers are bell-shaped and reach 8 centimeters. They may have an orange or red tint.

Fireworks

This is a fairly dense shrub that grows up to 1.8 meters. It is characterized by bright green leaves that turn yellow-red in autumn. The flowers are fiery red in color and large in size. In winter, the flower should be insulated.

Evergreens

Such plants do not shed their leaves for the winter. That’s why they remain decorative all year round.

Daursky

This evergreen plant can reach 2-4 meters. It has thin branches and small leaves. Flowering lasts 3 weeks. The bushes are decorated with purple-pink flowers. The plant has excellent resistance to frost.

Adams

This is a branched shrub that reaches 50 centimeters in height. Its shoots are covered with glandular fibers and dense leaves.The flowers have a pink tint and form corymbose inflorescences.

Caucasian

This is a low plant that has creeping branches. Its foliage is oval in shape. The flowers are funnel-bell-shaped and yellow in color.

Hybrid

This category includes hybrids that are grown in summer cottages. They have many varieties.

German cultivar Alfred

This evergreen crop reaches a height of 120 centimeters. The crown size is 1.5 meters. The bush is decorated with elongated dark green leaves. The plant is characterized by purple buds.

Blue Peter

This plant reaches 1.5 meters. The bush is characterized by a spreading crown and blue inflorescences. They are characterized by corrugated edges.

Jacksony

This plant reaches 2 meters. There is also a lower variety, which does not exceed 80 centimeters. The bush is decorated with elongated leathery leaves. The flowers are pink when they bloom, but then turn white.

Rose Marie

This plant grows up to 120 centimeters. The crown can grow up to 1.5 meters. The leaves have a waxy coating and a light green color. The flowers have a soft pink color. They have a purple tint in the center.

Nova Zembla

This is a Dutch hybrid that can grow up to 3 meters. The shoots are directed almost vertically. The bush is decorated with large leathery leaves with a glossy texture. Large flowers reach a diameter of 6 centimeters. They have a red tint and a black spot.

Cunningham

This is a popular variety of Caucasian rhododendron that grows up to 2 meters. It is characterized by elongated leathery leaves. The flowers are white with a yellow-brown spot.

Frost-resistant

In regions with harsh climates, it is recommended to grow special varieties of rhododendrons that are resistant to frost.

Roseum Elegance

This is an evergreen crop that reaches a height of 3 meters. It is characterized by a dense and dense crown. The dark green foliage has a glossy texture. The flowers have a purple tint.

Nova Zembla

This is a beautiful hybrid that grows up to 2.4 meters in height. The flowers have a bright pink color and burgundy spots. They are bell-shaped and form spherical inflorescences.

Grandiflorum

This is one of the oldest varieties. It is characterized by a spreading spherical crown and leathery leaves. The shrub is considered very frost-resistant and grows quickly. It begins to bloom in June. During this period, the bush is decorated with purple flowers.

Golden Lights

This is a deciduous variety of crop. The bushes are decorated with cone-shaped orange flowers, which create an attractive contrast with the dark purple leaves. Flowering begins quite early - at the end of May.

White Lights

This is a deciduous plant that can tolerate frosts down to -42 degrees. In May, pink buds with small golden elements appear on the bushes. After some time they turn white.

Rosie Lights

Another deciduous crop that can withstand frosts down to -42 degrees. This bush serves as a decoration for any garden. In late spring or early summer it is decorated with pink flowers.

Grandmother

This variety belongs to the Japanese variety of the plant. The shrub is used to form borders. It is also used to make small hedges.

Impeditum Golden Lights

This is a deciduous rhododendron. The bushes have beautiful orange inflorescences.The culture begins to bloom at the end of May and easily withstands even the most severe frosts.

English Roseum

This plant can easily withstand exposure to direct sunlight and frost. It is characterized by bright lilac-pink inflorescences, which are shaped like bells.

The culture grows well in moist, well-drained soil that contains a lot of humus.

Karens Mount

This is a spectacular plant that has a compact size and red-purple inflorescences. In autumn the foliage turns wine-colored.

St Helens

This is a deciduous crop that is highly resistant to frost. It can withstand temperatures down to -32 degrees. The plant is characterized by unusual salmon-pink flowers, which are shaped like bells.

Caractacus

This plant has a wide crown. It grows quite slowly. The bush begins to bloom in May. At this time, the culture is decorated with purple-red inflorescences with a light center.

Permanent residence Elite

This is a small-leaved variety that is compact in size and characterized by abundant flowering. The culture can withstand temperatures down to -32 degrees. The plant has raspberry-pink buds.

Intermediate

This garden crop is a cross between rusty and stiff-haired rhododendron. It is medium in size and has lush and beautiful flowering.

Site selection and preparation

In order for the plant to grow and develop normally, it is important to carry out planting work correctly. There are many features to consider.

Requirements for a new location

The plant requires an area that is protected from drafts and has partial shade. It is best to plant the crop in an elevated place. In low places, the crop suffers from stagnant moisture and may die.

Choice of neighbors

For a culture to grow and develop normally, it needs to choose the right neighbors.

Good

Rhododendron should be planted next to coniferous crops. It can be placed near spruce, pine or larch trees. It is also permissible to plant a flower near an apple, oak or pear tree.

Bad

Undesirable neighbors include maple, linden, and birch. Also such plants include willow, birch, and elm.

Soil and acidity

Rhododendron loves acidic soil. It is desirable that it contains a sufficient amount of peat.

How to prepare soil mixture for planting

If the soil has an undesirable composition, it can be changed. To prepare the optimal substrate, a mixture of peat, leaf soil and sand should be added to the hole. To acidify the soil, you should use sulfur.

Boarding time

The ideal time for planting is considered to be early spring. The crop can also be planted in early autumn.

Planting scheme

To plant a crop, you should put drainage at the bottom of the hole and fill the hole halfway with the prepared substrate. If the seedling has open roots, they need to be straightened and placed in a hole. Then water the bush generously. A seedling with closed roots is planted by transshipment.

Care

This plant needs systematic care. It is not recommended to loosen the soil, as there is a risk of damage to the roots.

Watering

In order for the plant to develop normally, it needs to be properly cared for. It is especially important to maintain an optimal level of soil moisture during the bud and flowering stage. To moisten the soil, you should use settled or rainwater. When watering, it is recommended to saturate the soil with moisture to a depth of 25-30 centimeters, but the moisture should not stagnate.

Top dressing

The plant needs to be fertilized from the first year of life.The first time fertilizing is done in early spring, the last time - at the end of July. For the plant, it is recommended to use liquid products that include horn meal and cow manure.

Mulching

After watering, it is recommended to cover the soil with a mulch layer. It helps avoid moisture evaporation and prevents the development of weeds. Peat or sawdust is used as mulch.

Cover for the winter

In autumn, before the cold weather arrives, the bush needs to be covered. To do this, insert spruce or pine branches between the shoots, and then tie the bush with a rope. Then cover the plant with burlap. With the arrival of heat, the material must be removed.

Trimming

The bushes have a regular shape and therefore do not require formative pruning. Most often, the crop needs a sanitary procedure. It is carried out in early spring. The cuts should be lubricated with garden varnish.

Pests and diseases

If agrotechnical recommendations are violated, the bush is subject to attacks by pests and the development of diseases.

Mealybugs

These insects often cause plant damage by damaging the bark and attaching themselves to branches. Actellik and Fufanon will help you cope with them.

Shields

These are quite dangerous pests. To cope with scale insects, it is recommended to use Karbofos solution.

Spider mites

These parasites provoke damage to leaf blades. Diazinon is used to kill ticks.

Bedbugs

Another dangerous pest that often affects the flower. Diazinon helps destroy parasites.

Weevils

The parasite feeds on the leaves and flowers of the plant. To cope with pests, it is worth using Diazinon.

Rhododendron flies

These pests cause serious damage to the crop. Karbofos solution will help destroy them.

Snails and slugs

It is recommended to collect these pests by hand. It is also worth treating the plant with a fungicide solution.

Leaf spot

In most cases, the disease is associated with insufficient root aeration. Fungicides will help cope with it.

Cancer

In this case, the plant will have to be removed. For prevention, it is recommended to use Bordeaux mixture.

Chlorosis

The development of the disease is accompanied by a change in foliage color. Iron chelate will help cope with the problem.

Rust

In such a situation, it is worth using products containing copper. Bordeaux mixture is perfect.

Transfer to another location

If you choose the wrong site, you should replant the crop. This should be done in early spring or autumn. You will have to move the bush to a new place with a lump of soil. It is important not to damage the roots.

The procedure should be carried out in cloudy weather. At first, it is important to cover the plant to protect it from the sun.

Reproduction

The culture can be propagated by the following methods:

• layering;
• cuttings;
• seeds;
• dividing the bush;
• vaccination.

Answers on questions

Should rhododendrons be covered for the winter? Despite their resistance to frost, it is recommended to cover the bushes in the garden. This is especially true for young plants. An adult rhododendron winters well even without insulation.

How to acidify the soil? If necessary, this procedure can be carried out using citric acid.

Is it possible to replant rhododendrons? If the site is chosen incorrectly, this is allowed. But it is important not to damage the roots.

Reviews

Numerous reviews of plants indicate their popularity:

1. Valentina, 62 years old: “I have been growing this beautiful flower at my dacha for many years. In order for the plant to develop normally, you need to choose the right bed for it.At the same time, the place should have protection from bright sun and wind.”
2. Ivan, 54 years old: “I really like this plant. In order for the bush to develop normally and bloom profusely, it needs to be provided with proper care. It is especially important to water the bushes in a timely manner. However, moisture stagnation should be avoided.”

Rhododendron is a popular ornamental plant grown by many gardeners. In order for the crop to develop normally and delight with lush flowering, it must be watered and fed in a timely manner.