Many summer residents and homeowners choose exotic species of plants to create landscaping. This allows you to create a real fairy tale in your garden or flower garden. However, you should learn about all the intricacies of growing such plants. Many of them are obstinate in nature, refusing to bloom in the cold climate of our country. One of the most beautiful garden plants is the rhododendron flower. It requires proper fit and care. How to grow rhododendron will be described later.
general description
Rhododendron, or rosewood (that’s how the name of this beautiful plant is translated from Greek), is a representative of the Vereskov family. These are small trees or shrubs that are distinguished by abundant, lush flowering. The birthplace of rosewood is the Mediterranean. Therefore, it is worth considering immediately that this plant is thermophilic.
In vivo, rhododendron is found in North America and the Far East. Also, its flowering can be observed in the tropical countries of the Northern Hemisphere. This family brings together more than a thousand species of plants. They differ in a lot of characteristics. Unites such plants only the beauty of flowering.
Rhododendron can be of different types. It can be either tall or short. The choice depends on the climate of the area where the cottage or cottage is built. For cold regions, it is recommended to purchase undersized varieties. In the southern regions, it is quite possible to grow medium and tall plants.
You can buy a seedling at a very reasonable price. Rhododendrons flowers have a cost of 450 to 700 rubles. By choosing, planting, and ensuring proper growth conditions for this flower, you can achieve its high decorative effect. Blooming buds will emit a pleasant aroma. It will be distributed throughout the garden. In this case, flowering will last from 15 to 20 days.
Description of a garden plant
Around the world, garden and indoor flower rhododendron is cultivated. The first option is found in personal plots. This is a shrub with leaves of different sizes and shapes. They can be annual or perennial. Also, leaves can be located on cuttings or directly on the branches. Their shape may be in the form of a plain or inverted egg. Foliage is highly decorative.
However, the flowering of this plant looks more spectacular. Buds can be painted in pink, white, red, purple and even saturated purple. Inflorescences are collected on branches in brushes or brushes. Their appearance resembles a lush bouquet. Flowers can have different shapes. There are varieties with a bell-shaped, wheel-shaped, funnel-shaped or tubular configuration. Many varieties when flowering emit a delicate, sweet aroma. However, there are species in which this feature is less pronounced.
The fruit of the garden rhododendron is a box with a large number of seeds. It has 5 wings. Seeds have a size of not more than 2.5 mm. It should be borne in mind that the root system of this plant is compact and superficial. It consists of a large number of roots. This feature makes it easy to transplant a plant in the garden. Garden rhododendron is an excellent honey plant.
Winter-hardy varieties
The rhododendron flower enjoys well-deserved popularity among gardeners in our country. However, some are afraid to grow this heat-loving plant on their site, fearing that it will not develop well enough in the middle latitudes. It is necessary to consider the features of garden species of shrubs, planting of which is possible even in areas with severe winters. If the plants are properly maintained, the flowers of these varieties will withstand winter frosts down to -25 º. The most frost-resistant varieties are the following types:
- Golden Lights. Deciduous species that can tolerate frosts down to -43 º. The bush reaches a height of 95-175 cm, blooms in late May and is distinguished by incredibly beautiful cone-shaped flowers. They are collected in brushes of 8-10 pieces. The contrast of dark green leaves emphasizes the charm of delicate inflorescences. In addition to a spectacular appearance, the flowers have a strong aroma. This variety is suitable for creating hedges.
- Rosie Lights. Another deciduous variety that can tolerate frosts down to -43 º. The height of the bush is 125-175 cm. In May and June it blooms with lush brushes. Their color is bright pink. Petals are covered with pink-orange dots. Flowers have a strong aroma. Green leaves in autumn change color to saturated burgundy.
- Mount St. Helens. Frost-resistant species, able to tolerate temperatures up to -33º. The height of the bush is 145-187 cm, blooms in May and June. Bell-shaped flowers of a delicate pink hue with golden spots are collected in brushes of 9-12 pieces. Shiny dark green leaves in the fall become bronze and fall in the winter. The variety is suitable for creating mixborders and hedges.
- FGM Elite. Small-leaved evergreen hybrid of Caroline and Daurian cultivars (Ledum) - also differs in its frost resistance. Carries cold winters to -33 º. A compact shrub with a height of 153-187 cm blooms in May and blooms luxuriantly with delicate raspberry-colored flowers collected in brushes of 5-8 pieces.
- White Lights. It is also a deciduous variety that can withstand frosts down to -43 º. He is very handsome. In May, pink buds turn into large pinkish flowers with a pearly hue. They have small golden inclusions. Later, the petals turn white. Combined with a strong aroma, lush delicate brushes create an amazing effect.
- Grandmother. A low-growing shrub with a height of 22-57 cm is excellent for creating borders and low hedges. It blooms in May-June and blooms very luxuriantly, with bright pink double flowers.
The main condition to grow a garden plant: planting and care, watering fertilizers - everything must be done according to the rules. Then this demanding flower will delight with its marvelous appearance, will become a decoration of the site and the pride of the owners.
Landing
For those who plant rhododendrons, planting is possible both in autumn and spring, at any convenient time except for the flowering period, 10 days before and after this period. However, experienced gardeners prefer spring planting, which lasts from April to mid-May, depending on the region and weather conditions.
Choosing a landing place should be especially careful. The plant does not tolerate direct sunlight, and in a completely shaded place it will not bloom magnificently. Landings should also be protected from the prevailing wind. Therefore, the best place to land is half-shaded areas, where the sun does not fall at noon.
It is necessary to take into account the recommendations of specialists for proper planting and care. Rhododendron flowers do not tolerate alkaline and neutral soil. The soil must certainly be acidic, rich in humus, without lime, with good aeration. The best option is a mixture of peat and clay.
Planting pit should be 2 times larger in volume than the root system of the transplanted plant. Natural soil is completely taken out. A drainage is laid at the bottom of the recess - a mixture of sand and pebbles 11-17 cm thick. A mixture of loam and peat is poured on top, and peat should be 2 times larger. In this soil, a hole is made in the size of an earthen coma of a seedling. They lower the plant vertically into it, and fill it with the soil mixture along the root neck. If the ground is dry, the seedling should be abundantly watered. Mulch the plant with peat, rotted needles to a depth of about 6 cm.
Before planting, it is recommended that the roots of the plant be soaked in water, for which it will be necessary to lower the seedlings into a container of water and hold until air bubbles no longer stand out.
Watering
This plant has a very difficult relationship with moisture. The flower does not tolerate waterlogging, but requires constant watering and spraying with specially prepared water. We have to constantly monitor, so as not to upset the balance of excess or lack of moisture. To do this, you need to monitor the condition of the plant - as soon as the leaves have lost their elasticity and glossy shine, it is time to water.
Watering the rhododendron flower is carried out with pre-acidified water, in which 13-18 hours before this they put a couple of handfuls of sphagnum peat. If this is not possible, water should at least be defended, or rainwater should be used for irrigation.
Top dressing
Rhododendron flower should be fertilized from the moment of planting and throughout the flowering period. In early spring and in the period after flowering, fertilizing consists of nitrogen-containing fertilizers.
As organic bait, semi-decomposed manure is used, which should be insisted on water. In addition to an aqueous solution of organic fertilizers, to increase the number of flower buds and extend the flowering time, you can use granular superphosphate, which is scattered on moist soil under the plants. To renew the topsoil, a year or two after planting, sprinkle areas around the roots of the plant with peat mixed with equal parts with humus or compost.
Breeding
Garden flowers are propagated by rhododendrons by layering and seeds, dividing the bush, grafting and grafting. It is necessary to consider the simplest and most popular ways of this process.
Reproduction by seeds is a rather laborious method. However, gardeners use it quite often to get plants with improved traits. The optimal period for sowing seeds is from the end of December to the end of March. Some prefer to sow material at the end of November.
Grains are sown in shallow containers filled with a nutrient mixture consisting of equal parts of peat, sand, coniferous and sod land. Sowing is done on the topsoil. The containers are covered with glass caps and put in a well-lit place. With insufficient lighting, fluorescent lamps are used to illuminate. Within a month, you need to moisten the soil and remove condensate from the glass.
For cuttings, half-woody shoots are taken and several cuttings about 8 cm long are cut from them. They are placed in a peat mixture and covered in the same way as seeds. After 3-4 months, the cuttings take root. They are transplanted into boxes with peat-coniferous soil and taken out to a cool greenhouse. In the spring they are planted directly in boxes and only after 2 years they are planted on the main place of growth.
The most convenient and popular option for reproduction is layering. To do this, dig a groove 13-14 cm deep under a flexible lower shoot and lay the shoot in it. Layers are dug up and looked after him as well as for the whole bush. After rooting, in late autumn or spring, the shoot is carefully separated, dug up and transplanted to a place of constant growth. Most often, deciduous varieties are propagated by layering.
Diseases and Pests
Careful observance of all the rules for the care of flowers with rhododendrons ensures good growth and proper development of plants. However, deviation from these rules, namely frequent waterlogging or overdrying, alkaline soil reaction, leaf burns under the influence of direct sunlight or severe shading, cause various diseases of the culture. The most common ones are rust, spotting and chlorosis.
To combat these scourges, first of all, it is necessary to improve the conditions of plant maintenance, as well as apply special means against these diseases. Some diseases are fungal in nature - late blight, fusarium, gray rot. To combat them, you should use drugs that are sold in specialized stores.
Of the pests, slugs and snails that eat young leaves and buds do the most harm. They are removed from the plants manually. In addition to them, bedbugs, mealybug, spider mite, weevils, scale insects and rhododendron fly harm. Get rid of these pests by using appropriate insecticides. By following all the recommendations for care, planting and watering, fertilizers of rhododendron, you can significantly reduce the risk of such troubles.
Indoor Rhododendron
Considering a review of the varieties of rhododendron shrubs, planting and the features of caring for this plant, attention should be paid to indoor plants. Such flowers are grown in pots at home. Rhododendrons belong to landscape gardening crops and are grown in open ground.
The most famous representative of this genus, which is bred in apartments, is the home flower rhododendron. This is a well-known azalea that is enjoyed by gardeners. This plant is well distributed. Like its garden counterparts, azalea is distinguished by a variety of varieties, lush flowering and a wealth of shades.
The home look is also whimsical and demanding to care for, but all efforts to grow it are paid off with magnificent flowers, with which the azalea pleases its owners.
Choose the right one!
The abundance of varieties of flowers, shrubs of rhododendron allows gardeners to choose plants that are most suitable for their climatic zone, soil and weather conditions, as well as show imagination when using plants to decorate their plots.
To avoid cheating and confusion with the varieties, it is recommended to purchase planting material in proven nurseries. In this case, you can be sure which variety is purchased. You can also ask for breeding material from your friends. For flowers of this species, the price varies depending on the variety.
You can purchase both seeds, seedlings, and a finished adult plant. If the plant variety is correctly selected in accordance with the requirements of the gardener and growing conditions, and provided with proper care, the rhododendron flower will become a decoration of the garden and will certainly please the owners with its lush, abundant flowering.