Rhodo-What? Your Guide To Planting And Caring For Rhododendrons

Molbak's has a vast array of azaleas and rhododendrons in the nursery throughout the year. To make the selection easier, our nursery sorts the flowers according to color. Late summer to autumn, you can choose low growing hybrids and different species of rhododendrons and dwarf rhododendrons. In the springtime there is a large selection of larger plants (three to four feet tall).

Rhododendrons are useful flowers in many ways for landscaping projects and to make your landscape more colorful. You can also purchase a variety of sizes, colors, flower, and foliage forms. Most rhodoendrons flowers bloom sometime between February and June. Make sure to get the most attractive looking plants because the flowers are only in bloom for three to four weeks.  The American Rhododendron Society has a scale that rates the flowers from one to five, in two number notations. 5:5 is considered an exceptional plant on their scale. The first of the two numbers refers to the flower quality and the second of the two numbers refers to the plant habit and foliage quality. If there is no rating for the plant, there is not either enough information or it is a new introduction.

Location:

These plants like a fairly rich, well-drained, acidic soil. Most plants like a shaded location, but some may like to be in a sunny area. However, in full shade or crowded conditions, theses plants may become leggy or may not bloom at all. In addition, make sure to choose a site away from large existing trees.

Planting:

Make sure to dig a hole two to three times as wide and as deep as the root ball.  Try adding organic compost or peat moss to the soil. These plants have shallow, fibrous root systems and should be planted at the same depth or slightly higher in the same soil. However, be careful, not to plant them in the soil too deep. Heavy burlap and biodegradable peat pots should be cut away from the root ball. Add fertilizer or bone meal to stimulate growth and ease the transplant shock. Make sure to water very well after planting.

Water:

They require an even supply of moisture. However, mulching may lessen evaporation. Just an inch or less of mulch is just enough for these plants. Please avoid any deeper mulch to prevent smothering the root system. Don't put bark or mulch in direct contact with the trunk of the plant.

Fertilizer:

Add an evergreen or rhododendron fertilizer in early spring when the new plant blooms. Apply again after flowering and a third time before early August to allow growth to harden for the winter season. To avoid burning the foliage, make sure to water deeply before and after you apply the fertilizer.

Pruning:

A little bit of pruning can be done after flowering and before next year's bloom. However, heavy pruning should be done in early springtime. Sometime after heavy pruning, the flower may not bloom for one to two years. Make the cuts for heavy pruning just above a whirl of leaves or at a branching node.

Pests:

The major insects to infect this plant are called the root weevils. These are small beetles that eat at night, leaving notches in the edges of the leaves. These are easily controlled with spraying monthly (between May and September) with Orthene. If you don't want to spray, apply Tanglefoot or a similar product to the base of the trunk or any stem.  This will prevent the weevil from climbing the plant to feed on it. Something that is also effective on root weevils is Biosafe. This should be applied in late spring and applied to the soil. Make sure to re-apply the Biosafe every spring. One thing that is becoming a threat to these plants is called powdery mildew. The leaves may become discolored and have white powdery fungus on them. However, some leaves don't have the white fungus but have a yellow or purplish spots on the upper surface of the leaf. Make sure to bring in the leaves that have these symptoms to Molbak's Nursery for an accurate diagnosis. We may recommend that the leaves be thrown away and that Fuginex be sprayed at the right time.