Camellia Leaves Falling off...almost gone

I planted my first camellia japonica. I'm in Orlando, Fl. The plant did fine in a pot for a month or so. When I planted it, I placed it a sunnier spot that where it was in the pot. The leaves started scorching and the leaves and blooms started falling. I moved the plant to shadier spot. It appeared to be improving, but the leaves continued to fall. The tree is almost leafless now. I might have been over watering (3 times a week or so).

Is there a chance it can come back or did I kill it? If there is a chance, how should I proceed? I'd appreciate any help.

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

RE: Camellia Leaves Falling off...almost gone

RE: Camellia Leaves Falling off...almost gone

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