Rhododendron: planting and care, beneficial properties

Rhododendrons are beautiful ornamental shrubs and subshrubs of the Heather family. Due to their lush and long-lasting flowering, variety of shapes and colors, these plants are widely used for decorative purposes, landscape design, and when creating flower arrangements. Planting and caring for rhododendrons in open ground requires certain skills from the gardener, since most of our country is not included in the natural distribution area of ​​this plant.

This article describes the planting process and the main measures for caring for this shrub, showing photos of rhododendron flowers.

Where does rhododendron grow in Russia?

The word “rhododendron” itself means “rose tree”. In wild forms, this plant is found in Southwest Asia, Japan, China and Korea, as well as in North America and Europe. On the territory of modern Russia you can find about 20 species of rhododendrons, including:

• Daursky.
• Adams.
• Smirnova.
• Caucasian.
• Yellow.
• Pontic.

The main habitat of wild rhododendrons is the Caucasus. In addition, under natural conditions these plants are found in the south of Siberia and the Far East, as well as in Altai.

Beneficial properties of rhododendron and contraindications

In addition to decorative purposes, rhododendrons are also used as medicinal plants. A decoction of the leaves of this shrub has a number of healing properties:

• Increases sweating, helps remove excess fluid, toxins, and heavy metals from the body.
• Normalizes heart function, reduces arterial and venous pressure.
• It has a calming and expectorant effect, relieves asthma attacks.
• Serves as a pain reliever.
• It has a bactericidal effect and is effective for gastrointestinal diseases.

Baths with rhododendron wonderfully calm the nervous system, relieve neuralgic pain and attacks of radiculitis. A decoction of flowers is indicated for nervous disorders as a sedative and hypnotic. It can also be used to treat gastritis, enteritis and as a diuretic.

Despite the many positive effects, decoctions or infusions of rhododendron flowers and leaves should be used with great caution. The plant contains andromedotoxin, a substance that depresses the central nervous system.In large quantities, this neurotoxin can lead to dizziness, loss of coordination, convulsions, and in especially severe cases, even death. It is not recommended to use rhododendrons for treatment for people with kidney diseases or allergic reactions, and pregnant women should not use decoctions or infusions from this plant.

How to plant rhododendron in spring

For planting on the site, seedlings of the species you like can be purchased in specialized stores or nurseries. They are sold in special containers.

You can continue to keep the seedling in them until the time is right for planting.

When to plant rhododendrons in spring

The best time to plant rhododendrons in open ground in the spring is April or May, depending on the region. At the time of planting there should be no possibility of return frosts, and the ground should be completely warmed to a temperature of +-8-10 °C.

Where to plant rhododendron

When planting rhododendron, it is very important to choose the right place. If the site is unsuitable, the plant will constantly be sick and may die. These shrubs do not like bright light. The sun's rays burn the foliage, causing brown spots and spots to appear on it. The optimal place for planting rhododendrons is partial shade or shade. The area should be closed; the bush does not like cold winds. When planting, you should pay attention to the depth of groundwater; it should be at least 1 m. Otherwise, the bed will have to be filled up, increasing its height. When planting rhododendrons, avoid wetlands and places where water stagnates. Excess moisture causes root rot in these plants.

Soil for rhododendrons

Ordinary garden soil is not suitable for planting rhododendrons. The soil for growing these plants must be loose, well-permeable to water and air, and also have a pronounced acidic reaction. You can prepare such nutritious soil yourself before planting by mixing equal parts of high-moor peat, river sand, soil from under coniferous trees and ordinary garden soil. Ready-made substrate can also be purchased at a specialized store; most often it is sold as soil for azaleas, which are a subspecies of rhododendrons.

How to plant rhododendron in spring

Before planting rhododendron in the spring, planting holes are prepared in advance so that the soil has time to settle and become saturated with air. A drainage layer of 15-20 cm must be laid at the bottom. Construction expanded clay is best suited for this purpose; you can use broken brick, crushed stone, and coarse sand. On the day of planting, the seedling in the container is watered abundantly in advance. This will make it easier to remove it along with a lump of earth on the roots. A carefully pulled out seedling is placed in a hole, holding it vertically, and the hole is gradually filled with a nutrient substrate. The root collar of the plant is not buried when planting; it should be flush with the surface of the earth.

After the hole is completely filled, the root zone of the seedling needs to be watered abundantly. If the ground settles, it is necessary to add soil. After planting, the ground around the bush is mulched with peat or pine litter. Mulching retains moisture well in the soil, preventing it from evaporating. In addition, mulch suppresses weeds and maintains the loose structure of the soil in the root zone longer, normalizing air exchange.

How to transplant a rhododendron to another place

A mistake in choosing a place to plant a rhododendron can only be corrected by replanting it. The bush tolerates this procedure quite easily, the main thing is that it does not coincide with the flowering of the plant. The best time to transplant rhododendrons is from mid-April to early May, as well as the end of August, September and early October. Replanting bushes should be done on a cool and cloudy, but not rainy day.

Transplantation should be carried out only with a lump of earth on the roots. The older the bush, the more developed its root system is, therefore, the more soil will need to be made. For adult rhododendrons, you need to retreat 80-100 cm from the middle of the bush. The bush is dug up from all sides and carefully removed from the ground. You need to move it or transport it to another place carefully, trying to keep the earthen lump intact.

The preparation of planting holes and the procedure for planting bushes is carried out in the same way as when planting a seedling. If during the transplantation process rotten roots are found, they need to be cut off and the sections treated with a fungicide solution.

How to care for rhododendron in the garden

Many gardeners consider these ornamental shrubs to be capricious, but the problems with growing and caring for rhododendrons are largely exaggerated. With the right choice of variety, planting location and competently done preliminary work, anyone can cope with growing these plants.

Scheme for picking rhododendron seedlings

Rhododendrons are often propagated by seeds, obtained from their own plants. This method is quite viable, however, from the moment the seeds are planted until the bush begins to flower, it may take up to 10 years. The advantage of the method is that seed material can be obtained free of charge and in sufficient quantities. Sow rhododendron seeds in wide containers filled with nutrient soil or substrate identical in composition to azaleas. After emergence, the seedlings dive, planting young plants in larger containers and increasing the distance between neighboring seedlings.

The complete scheme for picking rhododendron seedlings is as follows.

How often to water rhododendron

Rhododendron loves moisture, but is very sensitive to its excess. Therefore, after planting, watering should be frequent but moderate. Lack of moisture can be easily determined by the leaves of rhododendron; at this time they become dull, lose their natural shine and sag. For irrigation, you need to use softened water, preferably rain or settled water. It is advisable to acidify it a little by adding 1-2 tsp per 10 liters of water. citric acid or several handfuls of high peat. Watering is done at the root of the bush; the root zone should be evenly irrigated.

Feeding rhododendron

A lack of nutrients very quickly affects the appearance of rhododendron bushes; quickly growing and abundantly flowering bushes “pump” them out of the soil quite intensively. A deficiency of certain microelements leads to yellowing and wilting of leaves, poor flowering, and decreased frost resistance. Therefore, rhododendrons are fed several times a season. To do this, you can use both organic and mineral fertilizers that acidify the soil:

• urea;
• potassium sulfate;
• ammonium nitrate.

Among organic fertilizers, rotted manure has proven itself well, which is applied to the root zone of bushes while loosening the soil. All fertilizers are usually used in the form of aqueous solutions. Before using them, the root zone should be watered generously.

Universal fertilizers for ornamental bushes, for example, Kemira-Universal, Pocon, Agrecol, also give good results. Use them in accordance with the instructions.

The scheme for applying mineral fertilizers for rhododendrons is as follows.

A useful video about feeding rhododendrons can be watched below:

Trimming and shaping

Pruning rhododendrons after planting is usually done only for sanitary purposes. In spring and autumn, the bushes are inspected, cutting out damaged, diseased and dried shoots. Mature bushes are periodically rejuvenated by removing some of the old shoots in the spring and growing new ones instead. You can remove no more than ¼ of the crown at a time. rhododendrons have a regular rounded compact crown. It is quite decorative in itself, so formation is most often not carried out. To increase the density of the bush, in the first years after planting, the stems are sometimes pinched at a height of 0.25-0.3 m, this promotes increased lateral branching.

Protection from diseases and pests

Violations in planting and caring for rhododendrons quite often lead to diseases of this shrub.

Most often plants are affected by the following diseases:

Rhododendrons are quite often attacked by insect pests. Here are the most common ones.

When to open rhododendrons after winter

Caring for rhododendrons in the spring after winter begins with removing the winter cover. You can start removing it gradually, when severe frosts are no longer expected. This cannot be done too early; if temperatures at night drop below -10°C and a cold wind blows, the bushes may suffer. Rhododendrons can be opened slightly at a temperature of 5-7 °C.At the same time, they leave protection on the sunny side, since the foliage can get burned from the bright spring sun rays. It is imperative to open rhododendrons when the air temperature reaches positive levels, otherwise the bush may become overheated.

Video about caring for rhododendrons in spring

How fast does rhododendron grow?

Most rhododendrons grow rather slowly; their annual growth after planting can be only 10-15 cm. However, the growth rate of these plants directly depends on the type of plant, the quality of care and the location of growth. If rhododendrons are planted correctly, the soil meets all the requirements and is sufficiently fertile, then the annual growth of the bush after planting can be from 20 to 40 cm. Deciduous types of rhododendrons grow faster, the growth of evergreens is slower.

What to do if rhododendron does not grow

Rhododendrons on the site grow only in the shade, so excess sun is often the only reason why the bushes refuse to grow. Weak annual growth indicates an incorrectly chosen planting site and poor soil. The problem is solved by transplanting the bush to a more suitable place, as well as introducing a complex of fertilizing. It is also recommended to conduct a soil analysis for composition and acidity level. Rhododendrons grow only in acidic soils, so it is recommended to regularly acidify the soil in the root zone of the bush.

What to do if the rhododendron turns brown after winter

There may be several reasons why rhododendron leaves turn brown after winter:

• disease;
• improper planting (if the plant was planted or replanted the day before in the fall);
• early opening of the bush after wintering.

Diseases appear quite rarely in the spring. The other two reasons are much more common. This is due to the fact that the root system of the bush has not yet fully restored its functionality in the frozen ground, while the above-ground part of the plant has already begun to grow under the influence of solar heat. In this case, the rhododendron will experience an acute lack of nutrients, which will lead to browning of the leaves.

Another reason for darkening of leaves can be sunburn. This is also due to poor care of rhododendrons after winter, namely, too early opening.

What to plant next to rhododendron

Once planted, rhododendron coexists well with many types of trees and shrubs, as long as they are kept at a sufficient distance and do not compete for nutrients in the soil. Close proximity is possible with those trees whose roots go deep into the ground: pine, larch, apple tree. In this case, the superficial root system of the rhododendron does not experience discomfort. But when planted next to a willow, chestnut or linden, the shrub will feel oppressed, since the roots will be in the same tier and more powerful trees will simply strangle the rhododendron, depriving it of nutrients.

Conclusion

Planting and caring for rhododendrons in open ground is a fairly extensive set of activities. However, you should not be afraid of this. A serious argument in favor of planting these plants is that at present quite a lot of varieties have been bred that grow well in different climatic conditions, which means you can choose the right one for any region.If all requirements for the planting site, soil composition and proper agricultural technology are met, these ornamental shrubs with lush rhododendron flowers will become a real decoration of the garden and a source of pride for its owner.

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