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Rosadendrum help
Margaret1959
Posts: 14
in Plants
Hi i have bought a rosadendrum bush i think i may have over watered it the leaves are turning brown how can i please revive it as its special to me as was bought as a memorial plant ..thanks margi
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Posts
Do you mean rhododendron? Which variety?
Have you planted it in a pot or in the ground? What is the compost or soil like? Are you using tap water or rain water?
Hi yea sorry im not sure which variety its in the soil when planted we added rhododendrom feed and im using tap water
Stop watering with tap water. If you must water it then only use rain water. I would give it a dose of Sequestrene to counteract the effect of the tap water. BUT only if the soil is very dry. They do not like to be waterlogged.
Thank you berghill where do i buy it from its a memorial plant you see im panicking when should it flower can you see the pic .. margi
Is it planted in the grass? You need to clear an area round it if that's the case. It's competing with the grass for water and nutrients.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Hi fairygirl love your name no.its not planted in grass ot has a area around it
I'd make that much bigger then Margi.
The foliage is touching the grass, which means it risks getting chopped by a lawn mower, and also coming into contact with any weed/feed put on the grass.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Rhododendrons do not cope well with any alkalinity in the soil or their water so you need to get a soil test kit from your garden centre and test the soil for being either neutral or acid which is OK. However, if it's alkaline, you'll need to dig up your rhodo and plant it in a large pot with ericaceous compost. Cover the drainage holes with crocks to allow free drainage.
If your tap water is hard, you also need to collect rainwater to use for watering, especially in a pot. You can also use a solution of sequestered iron which helps ericaceous plants access iron, an essential mineral for plant health.
Another consideration is competition for nutrients so, if your soil is OK, clear all that grass from around its base to a width at least 6 inches beyond its current size and then mulch it with something like chipped bark to a depth of at least 2". This will help retain moisture as well as keep down weeds.
Thank you im a novice as you can tell