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Rhododendrons and Azaleas
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What do Rhododendrons and Azaleas need?
Rhododendrons and Azaleas need acidic soil. This cannot be overemphasized.
Rhododendrons and Azaleas prefer the sun, although they will tolerate dense (Norway Maple) shade or open shade (Ash trees). Azaleas can tolerate more sun than can Rhododendrons.
Initial nutrient feed can be fish meal, alfalfa meal, or old manure compost. Add to this 10-10-10 or 12-12-12 fertilizer of no more than one-half a cup. Only add to the soil immediately before or after planting.
Rhododendrons and Azaleas do not need fertilizer after the initial feed. As the soil pH drops you will find that the soil particles that are holding tightly to minerals will not be able to hold onto them as tightly, rather, their bonds have been weakened and thus these same minerals are now available to plants to absorb and use for their plant growth and well-being. Of course, not all plants can survive in an acidic environment. Rhododendrons and Azaleas do survive and very successfully thrive in an acidic environment. So remember, do not add fertilizer in the following years after planting.
How can you tell the difference visually between Rhododendrons and Azaleas? Rhododendrons have 10 stamens and Azaleas have 5 stamens. Rhododendrons have thicker, darker leaves and Azaleas tend to have hairy leaves.
There is a fragrance difference. Rhododendrons are not fragrant, but Azaleas can be very fragrant. The colors of the flowers will tell the tale as well. White, yellow and pink flowers should be fragrant, as the red flowers will probably have no fragrance.
Some recommendations to the varieties for the Midwest are the Northern Lights series that are winter hardy although they may look sparse and do not have any fragrance. However, Jane Adams is gorgeous and smells great.
Problems can come from the four-legged kind, namely deer. They love to eat the buds at the tips of the branches. Oh no! These are next year's flowers. So what do you do? There is a planting tip involved here. Plant your Rhododendrons and Azaleas fairly close together in groupings so that during the winter you can put a fence around them. This will make it extremely difficult for the deer to jump in and out without getting tangled up. Hence, hopefully, they won't even try.
In addition, dangle fresh bars of Irish spring around the outer plants as well. Remember a deer's sense of smell is very keen. This give the impression that a human is about and so they will be wary and should leave as soon as they arrive.
To discover the Steps to Preparing the Soil for planting Rhododendrons and Azaleas visit the author's site at [http://www.gardening-by-cathy.net/]Gardening By Cathy.
Catherine Sutton lives in Illinois by a river while growing plants in the shade of the Silver Maples. If you want to find out some other methods of providing organic fertilizers click the link to her site at [http://www.gardening-by-cathy.net]Gardening By Cathy.
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