A Guide for Planting Rhododendrons

When we put plants into our own landscape, they often take a while to adapt to the conditions. One thing I have tried which seems to give me a clue is to take the potted plant and set it out where I think it should go and just watch (and water) it for a few days. Particularly with young plants, if the weather is still very changeable with rain, hail and then some bright intense sunlight for a couple of days, the plant may show me that it is not hardy enough yet to be planted there. But I know it should do OK in that spot, so I will just move it to a sheltered area near there for a couple of weeks or even months. Then, when the weather changes are less severe I will actually plant it into the ground. Rhododendrons like nitrogen and well drained soil, so I mix the soil with peat moss, beauty bark or perlite to give it a soft texture. Plant no deeper than the plant is in the pot. Mulch is good, but too much mulch can put a young plant too deep, so mulch with care, being sure not to mound against the stems. Give the plant plenty of water. After the blooming season, water the leaves also, since they also take up water. If you bought a blooming plant, be sure to deadhead (take off the dead blossoms) for the first few years. This allows the new growth to be a little more balanced. Don?t fertilize the first month or so, but in mid June you can top dress with a Rhododendron and Azalea fertilizer. If you are planting a large plant in an open area where it might get blown over, you might have to stake it for a year so so. There is much information out there on the web to inform you about amending the various kinds of soils. If you keep in mind that rhododendrons in the wild grow at the edges of the forests, that should be a clue to the type of soil conditions you are trying to achieve. Have fun planting your new rhododendrons! Check out our website, www.rainierrhododendrons.com, for directions and more information.

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