Table of Contents
What is the best time to transplant a rhododendron?
For evergreen varieties of rhododendron, transplant in spring (after the bush has finished flowering and frost danger has past) or fall. Either time, the weather is milder and plants are less stressed. For deciduous varieties, early spring is the best time for transplanting up until the bushes leaf out.
Can you dig up and replant a rhododendron?
Most rhododendrons and azaleas in the landscape, even large ones, can be moved using proper care. In favorable climates the transplanting can be done at almost any time when the plant is not in soft growth, except at the very hottest times. In cold climates early spring transplanting is recommended.
How deep are the roots on a rhododendron?
Unlike deep-rooting shrubs such as yews, rhododendrons’ and azaleas’ roots mostly run relatively close to the surface, usually within the top 12 inches of soil. They also have a vertical root structure from the center of the shrub which plunges the same depth or deeper, but which is fairly easy to free.
Can I move a rhododendron in April?
Late winter or early spring is the perfect time to move shrubs that have outgrown their position.
Where is the best place to plant a rhododendron?
Unlike many blooming plants, rhododendron does not like full morning sun in winter and does best when planted in dappled shade on the north side of a building. Growing rhododendrons are happiest in a location protected from the wind and not under eves of a building.
What soil do rhododendrons like?
Rhododendrons grow best in soils with a pH of 4.5-6.0. They do not grow well in soils with appreciable levels of calcium. This is principally due to iron getting ‘locked up’ and becoming unavailable to the plant. Soil pH is easily measured using a home soil test kit available from garden centres.
Do rhododendrons like full sun?
Rhododendrons and azaleas, which are among the most popular flowering plants for shade, are commonly thought to be, as a group, amenable to low-light conditions. In fact, all of them need some sun to produce flower buds, but some need more sun than others. Rhododendrons will grow nicely in full sun to moderate shade.
Can you split rhododendron?
It’s best not to try to divide a rhododendron. If you want to propagate it so you’ll have more plants, you can do so through a process called layering. Layering is a way plants naturally propagate themselves – branches bend to the ground and root from the stems, creating a separate new plant.
Can rhododendrons be moved?
Rhododendron are not to hard to move, as they have very fibrous roots which grow on the surface. When the root ball looks about the right size, so that you can still move it, but there are still a lot of roots intact, begin to under cut the root ball with a sharp spade to sever the biggest woody roots.
What kills a rhododendron?
To begin with, excessive water kills about 75 percent of all rhododendrons purchased. Rhododendrons are fibrous, shallow rooted plants that need good drainage to perform well. The drainage is typically excellent. Another cause of rhododendron death is lack of water.
Do rhododendron have shallow roots?
Rhododendrons are native to areas with high rainfall, so they are naturally suited to moist soils. They are also shallow rooting so won’t compete with nearby deeper rooted plants for moisture. Watering will be required during prolonged periods of hot, dry weather in late spring, summer and early autumn.
Do rhododendrons like shade?
Choose a site with dappled shade in sheltered conditions. Avoid deep shade beneath other trees. Most rhododendrons will tolerate a more open site if sheltered from cold, drying winds. Dwarf alpine species will tolerate full sun provided the soil does not dry out.
How and when do you prune rhododendrons?
Although it is possible to prune at any time of year, perhaps the most satisfactory time is straight after flowering. This gives time for production of new growth and for formation of flower buds the following year. Alternatively prune in early spring, just as new growth is starting to elongate.
How fast do rhododendrons grow?
Some Rhododendrons will experience a fast growth rate (2 ft. per or 60 cm) while others will slowly grow less than 0.5 in. per year (1cm). If you choose plants that are the right size to begin with, they are relatively maintenance free.
How far apart should rhododendrons be planted?
Space plants 2 to 6 feet apart, depending on their mature size. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and twice as wide. Set new plants so the top of their root balls are at soil level. Plant them deeper and the roots may rot.
How deep do you plant rhododendrons?
Space plants 2 to 6 feet apart, depending on their estimated mature size. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and 2 times as wide. Set new plants so that their top roots are at soil level or slightly below. If you plant them any deeper, the roots may rot.
Should you deadhead rhododendrons?
When should you deadhead rhododendrons? When the petals of the flowers wilt or fade you should start to deadhead your rhododendrons. But, rhododendrons do not have to be deadheaded every year. If you want to encourage more blooms then it is a good idea to deadhead annually.
