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fieldhead

unsure what if anything iam doing wrong with my rhodendrons/azela

fieldhead
17 years ago

i was until last year a total novice gardener i have had fairly good results with most things though my wife fell in love with rhodenrons and azelas

we bought our first ones late summer 2006 from a garden centre i planted them in a shaded spot that got sun in the morning and shade afternoon they both failed to flower but look healthy enough by the way i did use the special compost suggested iam unsure of the type of rhodendron it is a large green plant with very large buds i have transferd it to a large pot now from the ground hoping it will flower

i also bought a rhodendron shamrock and a weebie and planted them in the late fall in a area that gets alot of sun has suggested on the plant labels they look very healthy and i top dressed them this week i am just a little concerned with the results last year they may not flower may be i am just impatient any tips for a novice like me would be welcomed has i would love to grow more rhodendrons

Comments (3)

  • rhodyman
    17 years ago

    Since you asked, I will tell you one thing you are doing wrong is the spelling:
    rhododendron and azalea

    You can tell if they are going to bloom now. They should have two different types of buds. The smaller buds are foliage buds. The larger buds are flower buds. If there are not flower buds, here are some possibilities:

    * Pruning. The buds are formed in late summer and early fall so pruning then or later is not advisable since it will remove flower buds. New leaf buds will form in the spring, but new flower buds won't form until the next year.

    * Variety. Some plants will never bloom. Some rhododendrons that come from the seed of a hybrid plant will look good but will never produce flowers or will produce very poor flowers. To come true to the parent plant, a hybrid may be propagated by cuttings or tissue culture but not from seed. A good hybrid seedling only comes about once in a while. For that reason it is important to know that you are getting a good named variety or a good species.

    * Fertilizing. Nitrogen promotes leaf and branch growth and discourages flower bud production. It can also force late season growth that gets killed or stunted by frost damage. Phosphorus promotes flower bud production and hardiness. Potassium is necessary for well being.

    * Weather. Cold weather can kill flower buds. Usually you see the brown buds in the spring. Cold spells in the fall or spring can damage buds that are not hardened off. Bud blast (blooming in fall or winter) uses up good buds which are then not available at the normal blooming time.

    * Age. Most rhododendrons take 2 to 3 years to bloom from a rooted cutting unless forced. Some take longer and some bloom sooner. From seeds the plant may take 1 or 2 additional years.

    * Sun & Shade. Some rhododendrons need full sun to bloom and others can take fairly dense shade. In general, the more sun the more flower buds but also the greater exposure to damage from desiccation in summer or winter. More shade produces tall spindly foliage and less flowers.

    * Inspection. You can usually tell if the plant has ever bloomed. A rhododendron that has bloomed will have the seed pods on it unless it has been dead-headed. If dead-headed too late after blooming, new flower buds can be damaged.

  • fieldhead
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    thanks for that not bothered about the spelling if they produce nice flowers from what you say they should be ok the only thing i may have done wrong is feed them too much iam sure a lot of these garden places are in leauge with the plant food manifactors telling you to feed every two weeks for example etc etc i have learnt from this site that feeding is not really needed frequently so that will save me money for more plants

  • rhodyman
    17 years ago

    Fertilizing is definitely a leading cause of not blooming. Excessive nitrogen will either cause burn to the roots or stimulate lush green growth and no flowers. In any case, as long as the leaves are green, don't use any fertilizer until your plants start setting flower buds. Then only use a good rhododendron and azalea fertilizer at half the recommended rate before they bloom. Here we have an excellent product called HollyTone. I am sure you have a similar product. Liquid fertilizers are not good for landscape size plants. They just wash away and are very temporary in nature.

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