Acid soil is best though. As far as I remember, they need iron, which is only available to them when dissolved in (sulphuric) acid.
They root quite shallowly - most of the roots don't go much further down than 10-15cm and are very fine, so when the sun hits the ground the plant dries out quickly. Hence, they're best in shade and when given a serious mulching action to stop the sun drying them out.
Sooo... just spent most of the afternoon sorting mine out: sulphur, sulphur chips, slow-release ericaceous food and a 2" mulch of large pine bark chips! Some of that might help, hatty, together with a massive soaking. They don't take much care (the above once a year, taking off the dead flowers, watering fairly well and certainly in hot weather when the buds are forming), but it needs to be quite precise!
@hatty_ - it comes down to conditions. If your conditions aren't suitable for it, it's better to grow something else which is suitable. The biggest problem we have up here is stopping them growing. They shouldn't be hard work If you have some photos of around the base, that would help. It doesn't look very hospitable. For long term health, I'd address that. It may only need a simple fix.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@hatty_ - it comes down to conditions. If your conditions aren't suitable for it, it's better to grow something else which is suitable. The biggest problem we have up here is stopping them growing. They shouldn't be hard work If you have some photos of around the base, that would help. It doesn't look very hospitable. For long term health, I'd address that. It may only need a simple fix.
Many thanks, Fairygirl!
Its situated next to what I think is another sickly rhododendron on a sort of rockery.
Previous home owners weren’t gardeners so I don’t know what, if anything they did to look after it. We moved in in June last year so don’t know if it flowered, but the brown flower buds suggest that it didn’t?
Photos were taken just now this morning. It does get a lot of light. Our patio doors are East facing.
Are you in the Chiltern hills? If so, your ground could well be alkaline and those rocks may be limestone. As said above, rhodos do not like alkaline soil one little bit but are fine with neutral or acid, so I would definitely test your soil. If you can chip off a clean piece of rock and drop it in a glass of clear white vinegar (the strong stuff, usually called 'spirit' vinegar), if it is limestone it will produce bubbles on it's surface after a few minutes and release a steady stream of tiny bubbles rising to the surface.
However, assuming neutral or acid soil then I suspect @GemmaJF is right and lack of enough water last autumn is/was the issue.
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
So, I worked like a bit of a lunatic this afternoon to weed and clear all around the roots. I’ve definitely earned my glass of wine now
The fine roots had grown over and under all the pebbles that must have been originally placed on top when the rockery was first formed. I dug them all out and cleared them to the side.
I also encountered two ants nests
I cut out all of the dead wood. But it now looks very sad indeed as it was most of the bush!
I also found one flower bud that looks like it’s trying/tried to flower? (See photo)
Should I just prune it hard to encourage new growth?! Or just give up and grow something else? What do you think @Fairygirl ?
Hi @hatty_- I'm only just in too @BobTheGardener has a very good comment re the stone. If there's limestone, that's bad news. My first thought however was, perhaps the soil is alkaline and the previous owners built a raised bed/terrace so that they could have rhodos. The fact that you have ants' nests, suggests the ground is extremely dry. If you water that area thoroughly, you'll see them move away.
I think it's up to you how you proceed. You could give them a go - loads of watering, and a mulch of compost, manure if you can get it [that helps add sustenance to the soil] or bark. Don't feed just now, as feeding is counter productive when a plant is trying to recover and grow. Then see what happens.
However, if you aren't that keen on them anyway, you could see it as an opportunity for something new that you really like. You have a lovely garden there - with a great view from your doors/patio. You could water copiously for the next month or so, and see what happens, and in the meantime, have a look at other plants you might fancy. Bearing in mind the current problems, that might be the best solution
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
The biggest problem we have up here is stopping them growing. They shouldn't be hard work
If you have some photos of around the base, that would help. It doesn't look very hospitable. For long term health, I'd address that. It may only need a simple fix.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Its situated next to what I think is another sickly rhododendron on a sort of rockery.
Previous home owners weren’t gardeners so I don’t know what, if anything they did to look after it. We moved in in June last year so don’t know if it flowered, but the brown flower buds suggest that it didn’t?
Photos were taken just now this morning. It does get a lot of light. Our patio doors are East facing.
So, I worked like a bit of a lunatic this afternoon to weed and clear all around the roots. I’ve definitely earned my glass of wine now
The fine roots had grown over and under all the pebbles that must have been originally placed on top when the rockery was first formed. I dug them all out and cleared them to the side.
I also encountered two ants nests
I cut out all of the dead wood. But it now looks very sad indeed as it was most of the bush!
I also found one flower bud that looks like it’s trying/tried to flower? (See photo)
Should I just prune it hard to encourage new growth?! Or just give up and grow something else?
What do you think @Fairygirl ?
@BobTheGardener has a very good comment re the stone. If there's limestone, that's bad news.
My first thought however was, perhaps the soil is alkaline and the previous owners built a raised bed/terrace so that they could have rhodos.
The fact that you have ants' nests, suggests the ground is extremely dry. If you water that area thoroughly, you'll see them move away.
I think it's up to you how you proceed. You could give them a go - loads of watering, and a mulch of compost, manure if you can get it [that helps add sustenance to the soil] or bark. Don't feed just now, as feeding is counter productive when a plant is trying to recover and grow. Then see what happens.
However, if you aren't that keen on them anyway, you could see it as an opportunity for something new that you really like. You have a lovely garden there - with a great view from your doors/patio. You could water copiously for the next month or so, and see what happens, and in the meantime, have a look at other plants you might fancy. Bearing in mind the current problems, that might be the best solution
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...