Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Pruning and containerising Rhododendron

LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
in Problem solving

I've got a small Rhododendron planted against a hot dry south facing wall, which (unsurprisingly) has slightly chlorotic leaves. After it flowers, I'm planning to prune it back quite a bit to remove these unsightly leaves, dig it up and put it in a large planter on the north side of a fence (with ericaceous compost, padded out with my neutral garden soil and a bit of sand & grit).

Does this sound like a good plan or should I go about this any differently?

"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 

Posts

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039

    Sounds good.

    I would use John Innes Ericaceous compost, as it has more body than the ordinary ericaceous compost, so is ideal for more permanent planting.

    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698

    Thanks for the advice folks. I wonder if I can wait until after it flowers before moving it, lol. I have a good space to put it, and also looking forward to planting up the sunny spot it's being moved from :)

    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546

    The leaves should green up once they can get the nutrients they needimage

  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698

    Cool, that's good to know. Still, I shall probably shape it up a bit when it's in it's new spot.

    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • madpenguinmadpenguin Posts: 2,543

    Wait till after it flowers then prune,remember you can root prune as well,not just the top.

    I have bonsai so root pruning is something I do not only to my trees but to other shrubs that are in containers.

    “Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.” - Bernard Cornwell-Death of Kings
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698

    Well I was laying bricks adjacent to it, and thought I'd better move it first. Turns out the poor thing hadn't grown out of the original rootball from when it was grown in a container. There was just a 5 litre pot shaped fibrous root ball. So it came out unbelievably easily without damaging any roots.

    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    That's been the problem then Will. Give it a good soak in a bucket of water till it's totally rehydrated, then tease the roots out before you replant.It'll thank you for it.   It's been trying to grow in spite of it's situation!  image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Sign In or Register to comment.