A very popular ornamental garden plant in the West - rhododendron - began to win the hearts of Russian summer residents as well. This is actually an unusually spectacular shrub (rarely a small tree), the flowers of which are quite capable of competing even with roses in beauty. There are simply a huge number of varieties of rhododendrons. Most of them are preferably planted in the garden in April. Read on to learn how this operation is performed, as well as what care for rhododendrons is in spring.
Rhododendron varieties
This ornamental plant belongs to the heather genus. It prefers a humid, temperate climate. There are three main varieties of rhododendrons: deciduous, semi-evergreen and evergreen. The way to care for them is almost the same. All three of these species are well suited for the Russian climate. The only thing, when choosing seedlings, you should pay attention to the degree of their frost resistance. For gardens and orchards in central Russia, it is worth purchasing only those varieties that can withstandlowering the temperature to -30 … -34 oC.
Planting material
Before we start figuring out how to plant a rhododendron in the spring, let's figure out how to choose the right variety. Most often, Russian gardeners grow rhododendrons of the Northern Lights, Rustica and KnapHill-Exbury series on their plots. The Japanese species of this shrub is also very good for our climate. An excellent solution would be the choice of almost any variety of Finnish selection. Dutch rhododendrons are practically not suitable for the Russian climate.
Quite often in the gardens of domestic owners of suburban areas you can see plants from the group of Katevbinsky hybrids. The flowers of such rhododendrons are not too large and not particularly bright. However, a lot of them bloom on the branches. At the same time, bushes can reach a diameter of 1.4 m and a height of 4 m. The main advantage of such rhododendrons is unpretentiousness and resistance to low temperatures.
Plant for planting
The question of how to properly plant a rhododendron in the spring comes down, among other things, to choosing the most suitable site for it. When deciding where exactly this ornamental bush will grow, you need to consider that these plants:
- Does not tolerate direct sunlight. This is especially true for evergreen varieties.
- They love acidic soils. On neutral rhododendrons will hurt and will not give abundant flowering. These plants do not tolerate alkaline soils categorically. none, not eventhe most thorough care of rhododendrons in spring, summer and autumn will not give results in this case.
- Grows well in moist soils, but does not tolerate stagnant water.
- May freeze if in winter the surface of the earth above the roots is not covered with a thick layer of snow.
In order for the plant to feel comfortable on the site, the planting of rhododendron in spring or at any other time of the year should be carried out under the spreading crowns of tall trees, in a flood-free place with high snow cover in winter. Very often, these ornamental bushes are also placed next to the fence. You should not choose an open place or corner of the house for planting rhododendron. This ornamental shrub also does not tolerate strong winds.
By choosing the right site, you can grow lush beautiful shrubs with bright, showy flowers without causing any extra trouble. If the place was initially chosen unsuccessfully, you should not be upset. You can always perform a procedure such as a rhododendron transplant. Spring is the best time to do this. But you can move the bush in the fall, and even in the summer. Transplant rhododendrons withstand very well.
Preparatory work
Dig a hole 40 cm deep and 70 cm wide under the purchased seedlings in the selected area. Drainage is laid on its bottom. In very dry areas, sometimes a hole for a rhododendron, on the contrary, is covered with a thin layer of clay, which allows moisture to be retained at the roots.
Ordinary garden soil forthese plants are completely useless. The soil taken out of the pit is removed. Instead, a mixture of high-moor peat and completely decomposed cow dung (3: 1) is used. In this case, the question of how and with what to fertilize rhododendrons in the spring, in the first 2-3 years, will not be faced by the owners of the site. Feeding is not required.
You can also use a mixture of blueberries, half-rotted pine bedding, coarse sand and leafy soil (1:3:1:1) to fill the roots. To increase the nutritional value of the soil in the latter case, when planting, it is advisable to add a bucket of decomposed compost to the pit.
How to plant a rhododendron in spring
If the seedling was bought in a container, it is lowered for a day in warm water. This is necessary in order for the root lump to get wet. Some vendors plant rhododendrons in containers that are too tight. In this case, a dense crust of dead roots forms on the surface of the coma from all sides. It must be removed or at least cut through in several places. Otherwise, young roots will not break through it, and the plant will receive few nutrients.
Actually planting rhododendron in the spring is as follows:
- The plant is lowered into the prepared hole.
- Backfilling is done in such a way that its root neck is slightly above the ground surface.
- Rhododendron planted in this way is mulched with peat or needles and watered abundantly.
Second landing method
So, we found outhow to plant a rhododendron in spring. The technique described above is used by Russian gardeners quite often. However, it has one major drawback. The soil under the rhododendrons, upon contact with the adjacent soil, as a result of various kinds of natural processes, begins to leach over time. And this is very harmful for plants. You have to either take any measures to acidify the soil, or even perform an operation such as transplanting a rhododendron (in spring or autumn). Therefore, the owners of summer cottages often arrange special high beds for rhododendrons. In the selected area, the soil is removed to a depth of 30 cm. Next, wooden sidewalls are installed along the perimeter of the hole. Small pebbles are poured at the bottom of the resulting "box" for drainage. The highest bed is filled with the prepared acidic soil mixture. The actual landing is made in the usual way.
When to fertilize
Now let's figure out how to feed the rhododendrons in the spring. This ornamental shrub needs to be fertilized very carefully. For the first time, top dressing is done for 2-3 years of plant life. In early spring, mineral fertilizers are applied to the near-stem circle - a mixture of ammonium and potassium sulfate with superphosphate at the rate of 2:1:1. Approximately 80 g of this top dressing should go per square meter. Old plantings can be additionally fertilized with organic matter. It is best to use rotted manure or compost in the amount of one bucket per bush. Most experienced gardeners do not recommend fertilizing rhododendrons with mullein.
Additional feeding
At the end of May - beginning of June, the second feeding of rhododendrons is carried out. In the spring, thus, the bushes are fertilized twice. The second time, the same mineral mixture is used, but in smaller quantities (about half).
Next time, fertilizers are applied to the soil in the summer - in July. In this case, phosphorus-potassium fertilizer is also used. Nitrogen top dressing in summer and autumn is not used. Such fertilizers cause increased shoot growth due to the development of flower buds.
Caring for rhododendrons in spring
Remove shelter from rhododendrons after overwintering immediately after the temperature is above zero outside. This operation must be performed on a cloudy day. It is impossible to immediately substitute the shoots of this ornamental plant under the sun's rays. It is advisable to even leave the shelter on the south side for a while.
In order for the earth to thaw, and the roots begin to intensively absorb nutrients, the mulch from the near-trunk circle needs to be raked out. It is impossible to allow melt water to linger at the trunk for a long time. It also needs to be pulled out. Further, according to the method described above, rhododendrons are fed. In the spring, after the melt waters come down, the plants begin to be watered periodically. In this case, only warm, sun-warmed water should be used.
Pruning of rhododendrons is usually not done in the spring, because they do not tolerate this operation too well. If you want to give the bush a round or ovalshape, the branches in the right places are shortened in two seasons - in the first year on the one hand, in the second - on the other.
In evergreen varieties, after wintering, some leaves may turn brown. They need to be deleted, because they will not be restored. Frozen shoots are also cut.
Rhododendrons are quite hardy plants, and even if it seems to you that the bush is completely frozen, you should not rush to remove it. The plant needs to be watered abundantly for some time. And then, quite possibly, new shoots will appear on it. The most unpretentious varieties after an unsuccessful wintering are completely restored by autumn. How to feed rhododendrons in the spring, you already know. Apply a little mineral fertilizer under the bush. This will help him gain strength and deal with damage.
Irrigation features
Thus, the care of rhododendrons in the spring consists in abundant feeding and watering. The last operation should be carried out correctly. If the soil under the rhododendrons is constantly moistened with ordinary water, after a few years it will begin to leach. To prevent this, use table vinegar (half a glass per bucket) or citric acid (4 g). On hot spring days, plants need not only to be watered, but also sprayed.
Transfer to a new location
Sometimes it happens that for some reason the plant withers and blooms poorly. In this case, you can try to move it to a more suitable place. Question about how to transplant rhododendronin the spring, it is not difficult at all. This procedure is performed as follows:
- The plant is undermined from all sides, trying not to damage the roots.
- The bush is taken out and transferred to a prepared hole.
- Sprinkle the roots with acidic soil so that the neck remains on the surface.
- Mulch the plant, water it and shade from the south side.
If everything is done carefully, transplant rhododendrons may not even notice.
So, we have found out how a plant such as rhododendron is cared for in the spring. Top dressing, pruning and watering are mandatory procedures at this time of the year. This plant is not particularly whimsical, but it is still necessary to follow certain rules when growing it. If you do not violate the established technologies (properly prepare the soil, apply fertilizers on time and irrigate with acidified water), the bushes will delight the eyes of the site owners with lush flowering for many years.
