GW,
I have 3 camellias in pots.
I used Miracle Grow potting soil, the regular kind,
some Spagnum peat moss and some Perilite.
I mixed it in my wheel barrow real good.
I dug a hole, placed the pot about the bottom third of it, in the hole so the pot is in earth.
By placing it in the ground like that, technically as far as water drainage is concerned, it is a raised bed, not a container.
I bought some Foliage Pro online, couldn't find it around here at all, and I dilute it and use that every other time I water the camellias.
They are doing real good. Growing nice and have buds.
In a couple years, I'll change the soil.
Good Luck!

Thanks a lot!
Any idea of the proportions of Miracle Gro (Which kind - regular or moisture control?), peat moss and perlite?
How long have you had the camellias? And do the pots have their drain holes going directly into the ground or they have a saucer kind of thing found in most pots?
Do they get any sun at all?

GW,
The pots are dug into the ground, the bottom third of the pot itself is buried.
THey get sun, just not alot of mid day sun, they are placed on a wooded edge, under giant pine trees.
One of my Camellias is quite large to be in a pot, but she wasn't doing very well because of the dang sassafras roots
that are everywhere.
I still want to plant it but digging those roots out has become too much for me, so I left it in a pot.
The other 2 are babies, like yours, I bought them from Lowes and they are actually growing well in their pots.
DOn't use regular peat moss in a pot, you have to buy SPAGNUM peat moss if you want to use it.
It's different, it doesn't hold onto water like regular peat.
Just remember to water them even in the winter if you haven't had much rain, they will dry out faster being in pots.
I will post pics tomorrow if you would like.

Thanks, butterfly! I'd love to see the pictures to get an idea of what my plants will look like in a year or two..
Which varieties do you have? I got the 'Gay Baby' and 'Shishi Gashira'.

Here they are....
{{gwi:587500}}
See how they are planted deep? The entire bottom of pot is in ground
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Kramer's Supreme, they are fragrant.
Red flower.
Now, my Oakleaf hydrangea that is doing better in a pot than in the ground.
{{gwi:587504}}The other camellia I had was so big and was totally root bound there was no soil left, (was is bad), I planted
2 days ago.
I hope it lives, it is my favorite. We will see.