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Urgent - can I save this rhododendron?
sarahgrahame
Posts: 22
This bush is of huge sentimental value to my daughter, as she and my late husband bought it together before he died five years ago. I've been away for a few weeks, and of course, wasn't expecting a heatwave while I was gone. I desperately want to save it, as she'll be distraught to lose it.
Any ideas? I'm assuming it's lack of water, but I might be wrong of course.
Any ideas? I'm assuming it's lack of water, but I might be wrong of course.
0
Posts
Plenty of water needed - I won't bother saying rain water is best for obvious reasons.
Give it about 4 gallons ASAP if you haven't already.
Ideally, let tap water stand for about 24hours to let the chlorine gas-off, so give it some straight now, and get another ready for tomorrow. After that a couple of gallons every other day while were still hot
Keeping fingers X'ed for you
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I thought it was responding, but now it looks worse.
I'm going to attempt to take a cutting, in case having an offspring will help my daughter come to terms with this possible loss. But the rooting hormone I've just bought says it's not suitable for ericaceous plants. Any advice on trying to get a cutting to root (or whether there's another formulation I could use) would also be appreciated. Thanks.
I lifted it and potted in ericaceous compost and giving it just rainwater. It's not got any worse, but no sign of growth yet.
I'll persevere with it until next spring
I've never tried rhodo cuttings, but some info here from the RHS
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
In very severe cases like yours , Rhododendrons can be cut to within six-inches of the ground .
Normally they're pruned after flowering or severely lowered during the Winter months ; however with yours (and it's probably still losing any moisture it might retain), I would bite the bullet and do it .
You'll lose flowers for maybe a few years , but the root should survive if kept moist and put in a cool shady position . Just noticed it appears to be in the ground ; same rules apply though .
People place them in full-sunshine , when they prefer coolnesss and dappled shade ; they're forest dwellers originally .
Go on , be brave ! Having sentimental value to yourself and your daughter , this strikes me as the only alternative to (hopefully) save your plant .
Good luck !!
Have you drenched it with vine weevil killer? A definite to do. We then feed it with an ericaceous liquid feed A bit of the plant has survived and the rooted stems taken are in a separate hospital plot where everything is carefully watched. They will stay there for a year
This years very hot weather has made it a shorter flowering season than usual
good luck
A A Milne
As said above they're very tough plants and they're doing all they can to survive by loosing leaves to protect the roots.
I was considering chopping mine right back too (as suggested above), but as mine still has a few bits of green here and there I'm going to wait until I see something happening and I won't do anything drastic until next spring by which time I will either have started to recover - or not...
I cut out all the obviously dead bits and I'm leaving it in a shady sheltered spot
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.