Part VIII - Living Walls - Rhododendrons & Azaleas: Well, Mary, everything Barbara says is true - especially the par

» Marge_Talt - Well, Mary, everything Barbara says is true - especially the par

Well, Mary, everything Barbara says is true - especially the part about traps for the gardener. Unfortunately, in today's world, the advice given by many nursery personnel is erroneous or incomplete. Around here, at least, you seldom find anyone at a nursery during the high season who really is a gardener, much less a knowledgeable plant person.

I think they tell everyone not to take the burlap off because they assume most people don't know enough to try to keep the rootball intact or what to do if it isn't....so they opt for the lesser of evils.

I'm one for removing the burlap if at all possible and if the rootball is too big to manhandle and get it out from under, I cut it off as far down as I can.

I want to see the rootball so I can make some semi-intelligent judgement about what condition it's in. If it's one of those mashed into a clay mass or covered in clay, I make a point of disturbing it as much as I can without really wracking the root system - just so the roots can get out of it and into the surrounding soil.

I've found that many rhodies are grown in nurseries in very sandy soil - at least a lot of them I've gotten B&B. This does make life interesting since, as you've found, the rootball will be dry as a bone while the surrounding soil is moist. If this is the case with yours, you may want to run the hose slowly right at the base of the trunk, weekly, even if there is some rain - just to make sure that rootball remains moist. Sometimes rain just doesn't penetrate through the leaves right at the trunk area and it remains too dry.

I don't think it's your imagination - B&B plants do need more care than container grown ones. Lord only knows how many roots were cut off when it was balled. And, since rhodies have a shallow, spreading root system, they can remove a lot of them when making a "compact" rootball!

Other than monitoring drooping, the only way I know to figure water needs is to ram my fingers into the rootball to make sure it's damp. If it is damp, then watering isn't needed. If it's really hot and the new growth is drooping, you might do some misting around the foliage even if the root area is moist. Rhodies like a good deal of humidity.

It is better to figure out what state the soil is in before drooping occurs because that does indicate stress is happening.

Is this guy in the sun? If so, you may want to rig a burlap screen to give it some shade during mid day and afternoon while it recovers and grows roots. If it is trying to flower, you may want to foregoe the flowers so it can put its energy into making roots. If it has already flowered, dead head it so it won't try to set seed.

If the new growth continues to droop really readily, remove it so the plant doesn't have to keep trying to keep it hydrated. Once the plant recovers, it may try to put out some more growth this year and if not, then it will next year. The important thing is to reduce calls on the plants reserves while it is trying to recover from root pruning.

I've read glowing accounts of Superthrive - never used it myself, but those who swear by it say it is marvelous, especially for newly planted stuff or stressed plants. You may want to try that or one of the liquid fertilizers designed for promoting root growth - Roots for Acid Lovers comes to mind; or liquid seaweed. Can't say for sure these will make a difference, but my philosophy is that they couldn't hurt.

Since you've obviously found the cause of the drooping as well as the mildew (dryness) you're well on the way to solving this. Now, I'd just keep an eye on the plant and make sure it has moist soil and wait for it to recover. These are a tough breed of rhodie and it should do alright for you.

Keep me posted on its progress, OK?

Marge

Gardening in
Shade

-- posted by Marge_Talt