Hello, the_neil_man. You should do what I do since my sun is very similar to yours. From your description, your plant is under severe stress. I wish I could answer what the plant it will eventually do. Try some of these suggestions.

The planting location is important. Locate the plant away from windy places that help dry out the camellia. To avoid sunscald, my camellias get no sun past 10-11am in July-August (the worst part of our summer); doing otherwise makes the leaves look bronzed instead of dark green. You said you have addressed these issues & that is good.

Mulch it heavily with 4" of acidic mulch about one foot past the drip line (the extra foot helps maintain moisture when we get windy hot summer days).

In Texas, a new camellia usually requires -in spring- 1 gallon of water two times per week (1/3 to 1/2 more water if you have sandy soils). To accurately tell when to water, insert a finger to a depth of 3-4". If the soil feels dry or almost dry, water. If it feels moist, do nothing. If it feels wet, you are watering too much or you have some type of drainage issue.

When watering, water the soil, not the plant leaves. After a while, you will notice a watering pattern developing and can almost guess when it needs water. This method will control your over-watering.

By the start of summer (around mid-May to mid-June), add another day of 1g watering. When the temps peak and begin to go down, reduce watering but never stop watering.

During winter, the plant should be dormant but, only so lightly due to your normal warm winter temperatures. I usually water my camellias 1g of water weekly during winter.

Do not fertilize the plant any more. Your plant is way stressed with transplant shock, too much sun and over-watering issues. Liquid seaweed is an alternative for times like this. It is absorbed through the roots or leaves; apply liquid seaweed near the base of the plant when you water (use half the prescribed strength once every two weeks). Stop liquid seaweed when the summer temperatures go down.

Flower buds begin to develop around July so extra care is needed this July to make sure you get flowers by the end of the year or in 2008. Do not prune the plant until right after flowering again (there may be few blooms this first year).

Good luck,
Luis

I recently bought a "Drama Girl" and it was certainly aptly named. It started out spindly and weak looking, then put on some very good growth, which is now all falling off! I can sure commiserate with you Neil man. Luis' advice always seems spot on though, I would follow it. I wish you luck!

I bought 2 of the exact same camellia here in zone 9B, Florida. One of them is dropping leaves and the other is doing perfect. I will check on the watering advice and hope for the best. Not sure what could be going on. Worried maybe a magnesium deficiency so was going to try Epsom salts but I am at a loss. they are planted in the same are so they are getting the same sun exposure.

Hello, Jerry. How much are you watering? what kind of soil do you have? Are the leaves green when they fall? Or do they turn other colors before falling? Do you have a picture of the bush (with a little close up to show several leaves) and a "real" close up pic of some of the affected leaves?

Sandy soil normally requires that you (a) add organic compost to the soil (before planting) because sand drains water too well, (b) add mulch so moisture does not easily evaporate (c) water 50% more than normal amounts.

Down here, in late May & June, the "old" leaves turn yellow and fall annually. Maybe earlier for you down in FL but it sounds weird that it would be happening so early in April.

If the shrub is not getting enough water or the water is draining rapidly because of sandy soil, you my notice that the green leaves turn brownish throughout the bush, as opposed to in selected 'sections' of the bush. A new shrub in some locations like here in the summer requires 1 gallon to 1.5 gallons of water per each watering; add 50% more (tweak that as needed). Water is needed is a finger inserted into the soil to a depth of 4" feels dry or almost dry. Add water early in the mornings to the soil, not the leaves.

If the bush is getting too much sun, the leaves in direct contact with the sun turn orangey-brown and eventually fall. I assume that your camellia is in morning sun and then shade starting around 11am to 12pm-ish. Sasanquas' leaves tolerate more sun than large leafed japonicas.

Central Florida contacts:

http://camelliacfl.com/

Gainsville, Tampa, Ocala:

http://www.atlanticcoastcamelliasociety.org/Gainesville%20CS.html

https://www.facebook.com/Tampa-Bay-Area-Camellia-Society-180600441982029/

https://www.facebook.com/Ocala-Camellia-Society-100719056688048/?fref=nf

http://www.ocala.com/news/20140118/tips-for-planting-camellias-in-florida

If you just purchased the shrubs, it would be odd to have a deficiency this early. The roots will still be in the potting medium of the shrub and would not have grown into your soil that quickly. In sandy soil, I would add a 1/4 to 1/2" sliver of composted manure in Spring and then provide some extra minerals via liquid seaweed since sand usually lacks many of these.