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Rhododendron

FlowerNewbieFlowerNewbie Posts: 153
in Problem solving
help, can any one advise on how to revive, and help this plant, decided to rescue it from my partners grandads. Although I can’t put it in the ground yet ( renting) so any advise on helping flourish in the pot would be greatly appreciated! Thank you

Posts

  • Ladybird4Ladybird4 Posts: 37,906
    Hello FlowerNewbie. The first thing to do is to go over the plant and snap off all the old flower heads. This is quite easy to do and stops the production of seeds so that the plant can concentrate on new leaf growth. I'm not sure if that is a dead twig showing in the picture or if it has leaves near the top. If it is just a dead twig then cut that off at the base. Feed the plant with a food specically for acid lovers and top dress the pot with a layer of ericaceous compost after the little weed seedlings have been removed.
    Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
  • FlowerNewbieFlowerNewbie Posts: 153
    Thank you, they all seem to have leaves on the tips of them, will it always look woody like this or can it be fixed, 
  • ZeroZero1ZeroZero1 Posts: 577
    Maybe the soil is wrong - if you add sulphur this can correct it
  • Lily PillyLily Pilly Posts: 3,845
    I would take it out and check for vine weevils, the notches on the leaves could point to many things 
    repot with ericaceous compost, drench with a systemic vine weevil mix. Leave for a couple of weeks then feed. Next years flower buds set just now.

    Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
    A A Milne
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    Leaf cutter bees cut our rhododendron leaves, vine weevils usuaing make untidy cuts, but yes, you could check the roots for them, trouble with using nematodes is you have to keep the soil wet for at least 2 weeks, a nightmare at the moment, but yes, good advice on here, you must remove spent flowers, re-pot into ericaceous compost, try to give it some shade
  • FlowerNewbieFlowerNewbie Posts: 153
    Thanks all, I’ll have a look and repot with some ericaceous soil, will the woody part always be bare or could it regrow?
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    You can trim stems back where you see new leaf growth starting to shoot out. Hopefully with new ericaceous compost, and more care, new leaves will fill out and cover the stems. Any long wayward stems can also be cut shorter.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    A helathy rhodie will shrug off vine weevil, but that one isn't healthy.
    I'd agree totally with removing any dead stuff, and then cut back to healthy new growth. If you don't, it will always look like that anyway.
    Take it out that pot, and repot with some suitable soil based compost [not compost alone] making sure it has adequate drainage. Although they like plenty of water, the roots also need air, so if they sit in wet soil all the time, it isn't good for them. Aulch of bark will help prevent weed seeds and moisture loss. Get it in the shade too, to give it a chance of recovering.   :)
    Then cross your fingers .... ;)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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