There is an opinion that caring for rhododendron is quite difficult, and the shrub itself is capricious, so not everyone will grow it in a moderately cold climate. And only after getting to know this amazing and beautiful plant, you understand that it’s not a matter of complexity, but the specifics of culture. Rhododendron isn't complicated - it's just not like everyone else.
A rhododendron bush in bloom - such a beauty is worth the effort!
It so happened that rhododendron is considered one of the elite of the flower and decorative kingdom. Having purchased such a valuable specimen, many strive to give it the best place in the garden - in the sun, with fertile soil, generously seasoned with humus. Stereotypes come into play that have nothing to do with the real needs of culture, and in this main mistake inexperienced gardeners.
IN natural conditions Most types of rhododendrons grow in the undergrowth, that is, in a special microclimate under the tree canopy, where they are reliably protected from the scorching sun, piercing winds, and drafts. When planting rhododendrons in the garden, they need to create growing conditions, focusing on the principles of life in the natural environment.
Thus, if rhododendrons are grown taking into account biological characteristics, they will not create any problems and will delight their owners with magnificent flowering for decades.
To prevent purchased rhododendrons from becoming a one-season crop, you should thoroughly prepare for receiving the plant. Agrotechnical measures preceding planting are conventionally divided into several stages - choosing a suitable variety, storing components for the substrate, selecting a site.
Agricultural technology for planting and caring for rhododendron largely depends on the species. For those new to gardening, or if you are unsure of the temperature in your area, it is best to start with deciduous varieties. Firstly, they are more adapted to cold climates and do not require crown cover for the winter; secondly, they are not so demanding on moisture and can grow in open sun.
From deciduous shrubs for middle zone suitable R. canadian, Japanese, Daurian, Schlippenbach, yellow, pink. Moreover, it is better to start with species rather than varieties - they are more viable and resistant to unfavorable conditions.
If you still choose evergreen rhododendrons, start with the Katevbinsky, Caucasian, Yakushimansky species or varieties and hybrids created on their genotype.
Important! When choosing planting material give preference to plants from local nurseries. Although they are not as attractive as those grown in the mild climate of Europe, they are hardened and adapted to the conditions of the region. The optimal age of the seedling is 3–4 years.
The most problematic areas of the garden, unsuitable for light-loving crops, are often suitable for growing rhododendrons - in the shade of trees, on the north, northwest side of buildings. The main thing is that it is secluded, protected from the prevailing winds and midday winds in the region. sun rays.
When placing shrubs under trees, you need to choose varieties of the latter with a deep root system in order to delimit the feeding zones of the plants. Rhododendrons prefer to be grown next to pine trees, junipers, oaks, maples, and apple trees.
In our gardens, soil suitable for growing rhododendrons is quite rare, so the planting substrate should be prepared in advance. Necessary components for the soil mixture:
The substrate is prepared from peat and pine litter in equal proportions with the addition of one part of garden soil or river sand. Needles can be replaced with sawdust, ordinary lowland peat can be acidified by adding sphagnum moss, acidic fertilizers, for example, potassium sulfate or ammonium. The main thing is that the substrate is light, breathable and acidic. If there is nowhere to get suitable ingredients for the substrate, you can purchase targeted soil for azaleas.
Important! One of the reasons why rhododendron does not bloom may be alkaline soil. Such an environment has a depressing effect on the plant - in addition to the fact that it does not bloom, it grows weakly, is attacked by pests, and chlorosis of the leaves develops.
Seedlings grown in containers are planted both in spring and autumn. In the spring, it is advisable to do this before the active growing season begins, approximately in April. The autumn planting month is September, so that the plant has time to take root and adapt before the cold weather.
A mandatory agrotechnical requirement when planting shrubs is to prepare a deep (at least 50 cm) and wide (60–70 cm) planting hole, which is filled with prepared substrate. It is carefully compacted and spilled with water.
Before planting, the seedling is immersed in water so that the earthen lump becomes limp, the roots are straightened and placed in the prepared hole. Another requirement is that under no circumstances should the root collar be buried; it should be at the same level as before transplantation.
After landing at root zone be sure to mulch. Pine needles, rotted sawdust, leaves, and straw are suitable for these purposes. Their layer should be at least 5–7 cm thick. Mulch not only retains moisture, but also serves as a light organic fertilizer for rhododendrons.
The shrub loves group plantings - natural thickets reliably protect the shoots from winds and freezing. The distance between seedlings depends on the height of the adult shrub, but not less than 1 meter.
For rhododendron, the specifics of care are determined by seasonal changes: in the spring - emergence from winter sleep and preparation for flowering, in the summer - care about the growth and formation of flowering buds for the next year, in the fall - preparation for winter.
When positive temperatures are established and there are no strong night frosts, the covering material is removed. This should be done in cloudy weather, in several stages, gradually opening the bush, first from the north, and a little later from the south. Leaves that have overwintered without access to light are sensitive to the bright spring sun and can get burned.
In the spring, rhododendron leaves remain curled for some time, not receiving an impulse from the roots, so the first thing to do is to start the work of the root system. To do this, mulch is raked away so that the soil thaws faster. If after a week the leaves are still curled, it means they have lost a lot of moisture and the root zone needs to be watered. warm water.
After the buds swell, the bush is inspected and frozen shoots and dried branches are removed. If the weather is dry, the plant must be watered at least 2-3 times a week before flowering. Watering rate is 10–15 liters per adult bush.
Important! Water for watering rhododendrons should have a pH level in the range of 4–5 units, otherwise it will alkalize the soil, which is undesirable. To acidify water, dissolve 3–4 g of citric, oxalic, acetic (70%) acid or 15–20 ml of battery electrolyte in 10 liters of liquid.
Spring is the only time of year when rhododendrons can be fed organic fertilizers. You can only use well-rotted manure; if possible, high-moor peat is added to it. A bucket of this mixture is poured into the tree trunk instead of mulch and watered abundantly.
How to feed rhododendrons in the spring if there is no organic matter? At the end of flowering, targeted fertilizing is effective complex fertilizers Kemira for azaleas (rhododendrons). It is completely balanced and, in addition to containing the necessary nutrients, acidifies the soil.
After flowering, caring for rhododendron is aimed at replenishing strength for the growth of young shoots and the formation of flower buds. The plant needs the following agrotechnical measures.
Advice! For feeding in three steps - in early spring(100 g/m²), during flowering (100 g/m²) and in mid-July (50 g/m²) use the following universal composition acid fertilizers. Mix superphosphate (10 parts) and sulfates - ammonium (9), potassium (4), magnesium (2).
An important element of rhododendron care is proper preparation for winter.
An evergreen shrub must be very well saturated with moisture in winter so that it is enough for the long months of cold weather, so it is recommended to water it abundantly in the fall. Deciduous shrubs need watering only in dry weather.
Both deciduous and evergreen species need to cover the root system with a thick layer of mulch (up to 20 cm). The soil is covered in tree trunk circle to the crown radius.
To provide shelter around the bush, build a wire frame or wooden slats- a kind of improvised wigwam. It is covered with spruce branches or covered with 2 layers of breathable covering material (burlap, lutrasil). Low-growing varieties are covered with fallen leaves and pine needles.
When growing rhododendrons, the main thing is to understand their nature, learn to recognize problems and needs based on their condition and appearance bush. The plant is responsive not only to correct agricultural technology, but also to love and care and will certainly reciprocate.
Video about preparing rhododendrons for winter:
hSpring events with rhododendrons are not as eventful as with roses. However, when opening rhododendrons, you need to follow the rules.
When above-zero temperatures are established and there are no strong night frosts in the forecast. The most important thing, as with roses, is not to expose overwintered rhododendrons to bright sun . They should be opened on a cloudy day, or in the late afternoon. For some time it is worth leaving the shelter on the south side.
We must try to do everything to make the roots of the plant work..
To do this, we rake away the mulch so that the ground thaws.
We spill the rhododendron with warm water. During a dry spring, we try to water as often as possible.
If, on the contrary, the rhododendron finds itself in a puddle of melt water, try to remove this water from the roots of the rhododendron as soon as possible. And in principle, this should not happen; rhododendron must be planted so that it does not end up in the flood zone in the spring. If this is not possible, make a hummock for the rhododendron to plant it on. Rhododendrons are calm about replanting, so feel free to correct mistakes, this will only benefit the plant.
Don't be afraid of the unsightly appearance of rhododendron in the spring. And most often it looks like this:
the leaves are rolled into a tube and lowered. Some leaves may be brown.
This picture shows a Haag (Hague) rhododendron after a good winter. The leaves are drooping and slightly curled.
If the leaves are very tightly curled, urgent resuscitation of the rhododendron is needed
The curled leaves will open and rise within a week or two - it depends on the weather. In a warm spring with sufficient precipitation, you can already see unfolded leaves when the rhododendron opens. As in the photo at the end of the article
Brown leaves, do not recover. Remove them before summer.
Brown leaves are the result of frostbite or desiccation. If there are too many of these leaves, the rhododendron may not survive.
The second photo shows just such an unsuccessful wintering of the Katevbinsky rhododendron; the upper shoots were very badly damaged, and later they had to be completely cut off.
But 
The record holder for survival, the Katevbinsky rhododendron, usually recovers from an almost dead state. So even if you are not at all happy with the appearance of the rhododendron after removing the cover, do not rush to destroy it. Water, water, and most often you will see new shoots by the beginning of summer.
The third photo shows the same rhododendron as the second one five years later. Nothing now reminds us of how he suffered during the winter in 2005. Then, in 2005, after pruning, it sprouted new shoots and by the fall it had almost completely recovered.
Rhododendrons are special shrubs in many ways, not like most of the crops we are used to. They need special place in the garden, special soil. And even special agricultural techniques. For example, mulching the soil is a must, loosening it is a no-no!
Pruning in this row is an exception; here the rhododendrons appear in the general ranks.
With pruning, everything is the same as others, or almost everything. As usual, there are three types of pruning: sanitary, shaping, and rejuvenating.
Performed based on the results of wintering in early spring. We remove broken branches by carefully cutting out the shoot below the break point. Small breaks can be covered with an elastic bandage, the area secured, and a support placed under the broken branch to neutralize its weight (photo 1). If the branch breaks less than half its thickness, there is good chances that the rift will heal. We leave the support under the shoot for a couple of years.
We cut out frozen shoots to healthy tissue. Deciduous rhododendrons often have bark cracks in winters with sudden temperature changes. We cut out such shoots until they are alive. Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish a frozen shoot of an evergreen rhododendron from a living one.
stem, whose leaves were damaged (“burned”, but in fact dried out under the influence of the early spring sun and wind). If in doubt, delay pruning for a while. Soon it will be absolutely clear whether the escape is alive or not. The leaves of a frozen shoot are dry, dull, and fall off easily. “Burnt” leaves on a living branch do not fall off on their own; at the base of their petioles, buds from which new leaves will bloom may already be visible. So, in photo 2, the rhododendron has completely lost only a few shoots in the upper left part of the crown, the rest will successfully grow.
Small-leaved evergreen rhododendrons are distinguished by the fact that even a shoot that has completely lost its “burnt” leaves can be completely covered in foliage again. You should not rush and cut varieties from this group, unless the affected plant is sitting in plain sight and does not spoil everyone’s mood with its condition.
As a rule, we buy evergreen rhododendrons in the form of a bush with a beautiful, evenly developed, harmonious crown. Deciduous rhododendron (deciduous azalea) varieties often don't look as good. They have one or not
how many long, bare and relatively thick shoots with inflorescences at the top and several short and thin branches. It is better to trim such specimens immediately, trying to give the crown a more or less symmetrical shape (photo 3, 4). Already in mid-summer the bush will be much more branched (photo 5), and in the fall you will see that a well-rooted rhododendron has quite successfully established flower buds over the entire surface of the crown. Thus, we lose in the height of the bush, but gain in its shape and the quality of future flowering. And such a bush will quickly gain height.
This type of pruning is performed either in early spring or closer to the time of flowering of the rhododendron, i.e. outside the stage of active sap flow. We trim poorly located branches, shorten those that weakly or do not produce lateral shoots at all, i.e. naked (photo 6). As a rule, formative pruning is easy to achieve on deciduous rhododendron bushes. Many semi-evergreens (such as Ledebourg rhododendron and the entire PJM series of varieties) respond well to pruning, responding with dense branching and a compact crown shape. With evergreen rhododendrons, it is easy to reduce or narrow the crown by cutting into a well-placed branch.
A convenient technique is pinching shoots of deciduous rhododendrons (photos 7, 8). Thus, we shorten the shoot that is too long and encourage it to branch, achieving a beautiful, evenly developed crown shape. Appearing as a result of pinching side shoots have time to lay flower buds.
Anti-aging pruning, like any other, works well on young rhododendrons. After radical pruning, they grow back easily. Another thing is that young people don’t need it. If you are a decisive person, you will not be afraid to cut and old bush on the stump, i.e. shorten all shoots to 20-30 cm. The timing for anti-aging pruning is the same - early spring or immediately after flowering. But not all old specimens will easily tolerate such pruning.
An alternative to planting a bush with bare bottom stems, sparse branching, weak flowering and other signs of aging on the stump of a bush is to replace it. Yes, sometimes it is more rational to replace a bush that has lost its decorative appearance rather than trying to get it to regain its beauty by pruning. This is especially true in relation to tall varieties evergreen rhododendrons.
Evergreen rhododendrons with denser branching and a cushion-shaped growth pattern can often be rejuvenated by pruning. It is carried out gradually, shortening to 15-20 cm several shoots per season. If successful, buds appear on the old wood and strong young shoots appear (photo 9).
Deciduous rhododendrons, as a rule, can be rejuvenated by pruning. In this case, radical planting on a stump is rarely required; often it is enough to simply reduce the crown by a third or half. In photo 10 there is a Japanese rhododendron bush, which is more than 35 years old.
It can be seen that the middle of the bush is bare, and besides, it has grown too large in diameter, and the shoots are laid on the path. Spring pruning led to the result in photo 11: the crown is now thick and uniform. Several too long shoots in the middle of the bush will still be shortened next season.
We cut with sharp pruning shears, cleanly, without squeezing. The place on the stem where the bud will wake up can only be found through some practice. But the one who walks will master the road! So we cut without fear. Cover all sections that are thicker than a pencil with varnish-balm. After pruning, we feed the rhododendron, regularly water it well, soaking the soil to the depth of the roots.
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Those planted in the sun are more often attacked by ailments than those that are in partial shade. Proper agricultural technology increases the plant's resistance, but the threat still remains. In the article we will look at why the leaves suddenly dry out, the buds darken or the buds die, as well as the main diseases to which these plants are susceptible.
The first symptom is the beginning of the process of rotting of the root system. Mushrooms block the way nutrients, as a result of which he suffers vascular system plants.
It turns brown and dries out, leaves with petioles fall off, and a gray-white mycelium appears on the bark. The root gradually dies. The remains of the plant continue to harbor the infection.
If the bush is sick, it is necessary to trim off the infected areas and burn them without delay. Treat the entire plant with. Prevention is carried out by spraying the bushes and watering their root zone with a 0.2% solution of the drug.
Occurs due to the rhododendron getting wet or poorly carried out root. In addition, bring late blight to garden plot You can use it together with unhealthy shrubs purchased from the nursery. The disease begins with the foliage wilting without the possibility of its restoration.
The root turns brown and rots. The branches begin to turn yellow, and then the entire rhododendron. The root collar and base of the stems are covered with brown spots with a purple tint, on which dark gray fungal spores develop. The bush withers and dries, but its remains and the soil around it retain the infection.
On initial stage Rhododendron lesions need to begin regular treatment, or 0.2%. Heavier plants should be burned with their roots and preventive measures should be given to healthy bushes. 
It manifests itself through the formation of round-shaped growths of considerable size on the roots and root collar. These formations become darker and harder over time.
The bush slows down in growth and loses flowering power. Then the growths, together with the root collar, begin to rot, the plant dies, but its remains continue to harbor the infection.
As with late blight, bushes that show initial symptoms should be regularly treated with Bordeaux mixture or another similar preparation. In case of severe damage, burn the plant along with the root system. 
Rhododendron can be affected by a variety of rots:
The surface coating gradually dries and begins to crack. At high humidity parts of the bush affected by necrosis are covered with a fluffy, smoky-gray spore coating. After some time, the drying mycelium is filled with brown round sclerotia.
Rot can only be dealt with by cutting off the affected areas of the rhododendron. To carry out preventive treatment, spray the plant with a 0.2% solution of the drug “Fundazol”, and also water the root zone with it. 
for rhododendron it begins with wilting and ends with death. White fungal spores or mold form on its leaves Brown, and the surface is covered with threads resembling a cobweb.
Sprinkle the seedlings that have begun to die with crushed or powdered Fundazol. In addition, for the purpose of prevention, you can treat with a 0.2% solution of the drug “Fundazol”. 
The buds turn brown and die, after which the mycelium grows into the branches. The development of the disease can be limited by removing dark buds and dry shoots. While the plant lives, spray it every two weeks with preparations that contain. 
threatens shrubs growing in the shade. The buds at the top of the bush will not bloom. Instead, their color will turn brown and the process of dying off will begin. Following them, the leaves will begin to curl, acquire a brown color and dry out. If the damage is severe, the plant will die. The disease can also begin with the drilling of leaves on some shoots. Then they will begin to dry, after which the entire shoot will die.
You can cope with the death of shoots by burning the affected foliage and shoots. As soon as the rhododendron fades, you should begin treating it regularly (every two weeks) with copper-based preparations. 
affects roots and stems at the base. But first the foliage withers and dries without any reason. Then the buds become brown and die. Immediately before the death of the rhododendron, the root system becomes brown and rotten.
To cope with the disease, it is necessary to burn the affected areas of the plant or the entire diseased bush. It is possible to protect rhododendron from root rot. Maintain at the level that your particular variety needs and follow the watering rules. 
wraps around the root collar of the plant and looks like a gray-white ring. The defeat is caused by a widely known fungus - it is its mycelium that germinates in weakened rhododendrons. As a result, the bush dies. Strongly growing rhododendrons do not suffer from this disease.
The affected plant must be dug up and burned, and the bushes near it must be replanted. 
Several types of mushrooms can provoke wax disease, which: 
A plant can be cured of wax disease by pruning the affected areas, as well as treating it with Bordeaux mixture or the drug “Cumulus”. It is better to carry out processing in the spring. Pestalocia blotch affects foliage and stems. Brownish spots appear on them irregular shape. They are framed by a thin brown border. The spots on the leaves are smaller than those on the stems. Gray pads with spores appear on top of the spots.
Did you know? Honey from the nectar of some rhododendrons has hallucinogenic and laxative properties.
The rhododendron disease, which is shown in the photo, “changes” the color of the stems to brown and covers the foliage with spots, so its treatment is carried out by pruning the affected parts, followed by treating the bush with Bordeaux solution or “Camulus”. 
identified by brown spots in the upper part of the leaf followed by drying. Round dark bodies with spores form on the spots. Following the leaves, the stems become diseased.
Treatment of anthractose spot is based on cutting off the lesions and spraying with Bordeaux mixture. 
affects rhododendron foliage. It is covered with round red spots. After a certain period of time, black dotted fruits of the fungus appear on the spots. After this, the foliage turns yellow and dries out.
Rhododendron disease, which is shown in the photo, is characterized by the formation of black spots on the surface fruiting bodies fungus, so its treatment is carried out by cutting off the affected areas and treating the bush with Bordeaux solution or the drug “Camulus”. 
Important! Spraying plants with copper preparations at high humidity threatens leaves and shoots with burns.
diagnosed by the condition of the leaves. A characteristic symptom is the appearance of large round spots with a red border. Black sporangia begin to roll out of them. Then the foliage dies.The edge of the spot may also be brown, depending on the type of pathogen. Over time, the lesion lightens, cracks and crumbles. In this case, it is necessary to cut off the affected parts and treat the bush with Bordeaux mixture or Camulus. 
The question “How to revive an azalea?” most often occur in people who are unprepared for the appearance of this flower in the house - it is usually given as a gift, trying to please the hostess. At first everyone admires flowering plant, and later disturbances begin due to yellowing, blackening or drying of leaves, as well as falling flowers. In such cases, you need to urgently decide how to save the dying azalea.
It is advisable to know at least something about rhododendrons before adding them to your home. Because of the difficulty of care, azalea is called a capricious beauty. But if she settles in comfortable conditions, it will please the owners healthy looking And lush flowering. You just need to line it up so that there is balance in everything.
Azalea feels great at air temperatures no higher than +22 °C in summer and +15 °C in winter. It should be light enough, but without direct sunlight. The pot and air should be humid (80%), but it should not be sprayed during flowering. The soil needs to be acidic. Trouble begins when these conditions are violated.
If the leaves begin to dry out, change color, or become stained, you need to find out why this is happening and eliminate the cause. Leaves can fall very quickly. They turn yellow as a result of pest attack - then you need to take prompt action. And if a lot of calcium has accumulated in the soil, adding a little citric acid to the water will help.
The main cause of leaf falling is excessive dryness and heat air. As soon as the greenery begins to dry out, you need to lower the air temperature (this will make it easier for the plant to recover), water it with settled, acidified water, and spray the flower.
If your azalea is drying out, give it a cool shower. Most likely, tap water contains a lot of salts and unnecessary impurities (which is why it is settled), so you will have to use a watering can with a fine sieve to bathe it with clean, settled water with the addition of citric acid. You can immerse the pot in a basin so that the water is 2 cm above the rim, leave it for 20–30 minutes, then let it drain excess water. Just fill the flower with acidified water!
What to do when the azalea has dried out and completely lost its leaves? Don’t rush to throw it away, even if it’s dried out. If the roots are still alive, that is, have not dried out, then you can revive the plant with water, cooling and boric acid. You just need to be patient.
First you need to get rid of the old soil. To do this, remove the plant from the pot, pour in the roots and a lump of earth. clean water. As the soil becomes wet, slowly and carefully remove (wash) it with your hands; you can place the soaked roots under running water and rinse. Then the plant can be planted in new soil, purchased specifically for azaleas and laid on a high-quality drainage layer in a new pot. It is advisable to add wood ash or activated carbon to the soil, and put a layer of pine needles on top. The transplanted flower should be placed in a softly lit place with an air temperature no higher than +20 °C and left until the morning.
The next day, the plant must be watered with water that has stood for at least two days, adding a few drops of boric acid and Zircon to it. When all the soil flows well with water, the excess should be poured out of the pan.
The roots will absorb better useful material at a lower temperature, so the pot can be lined with ice. Some gardeners say that in the summer, a pot of azaleas should be put in the refrigerator for a day. Such procedures - watering with boric acid and Zircon, cooling - must be repeated daily until new leaves begin to grow. Then you can water every other day, sometimes replacing boric acid lemon, and replace the refrigerator with sprays.
Having gotten rid of the reason why the azalea, damaged by pests, dried up, you can begin to restore the plant.
Affected leaves need to be removed (if they have not fallen off on their own); bare branches should not be trimmed. In order for the azalea to revive its branches, it must be in comfortable conditions, but it is advisable to further increase the air humidity by covering the plant with a transparent lid (bag, jar). To strengthen the immune system, it is sprayed with a solution prepared from the drug “Elina”. Water frequently (daily or every other day) with acidified, settled water.
Azalea diseases are the result of bugs. These can be caused by changes in air temperature and humidity levels. If the leaves of an azalea turn black, the cause may be the Black Triassic or infection with fungal diseases. Septoria (red-yellow spots with black dots), cercospora ( brown spots with red edges on the underside of the leaf), phyllostictosis (brown or gray spots) are characterized by the presence of spots that appear and grow on the leaves and stems of the plant. Late blight affects the roots, and is indicated by curling and drying of the leaves, which first darken, starting from the very tips, change color, and then curl and.
These diseases will be prevented from progressing by special drugs that need to be started as early as possible: Bordeaux mixture, Fundazol, Ditan, Topsin-M or other fungicides. With verticillium, the base of the stem darkens, not the leaf; this can more likely lead to death. Timely processing will save copper sulfate or fungicides. The sooner the disease is diagnosed, the sooner treatment will begin, which means there will be more hope for full recovery plants.
After using special preparations, it is necessary to destroy all affected parts of the plant so as not to give the disease a chance to return. An azalea that has suffered from disease needs restoration procedures no less than after a pest invasion or drying out due to poor care. The main goals are the same: restore immunity, improve conditions, help absorb nutrients.
The azalea must be replanted into new soil, making sure to check the condition of the roots. Then apply frequent watering and spraying with water containing boron and citric acid alternately, sometimes using Elina solution to strengthen the immune system.
It is important that at this time the air temperature does not rise above +20–22 degrees, and the lighting is soft without direct sunlight.
From this video you will learn how to cure an azalea that has begun to fade.
