Rhododendrons in the Moscow region: planting and care, reproduction

Having seen a photo of a magnificent bush strewn with large inflorescences, many want to have the same on their dacha site. However, it is not so easy to grow rhododendrons in the suburbs. Planting and nursing require a serious skill, as well as a huge amount of time and effort. If you do not have this, it will be much better to plant a less capricious plant, which is guaranteed to take root. Just pay attention to the price of rhododendrons. Even a small bush will be quite expensive, and in fact it may not survive the winter.

Choose a variety

Of course, tropical varieties are amazingly large and beautiful flowers, but choose them for your garden is strongly discouraged. This is due to the fact how difficult it is to grow rhododendrons in the suburbs. Planting and care are complicated by climatic conditions, changes in daytime and night temperatures, frosts and lack of necessary humidity. Our fellow citizens who have moved to England, note that the cultivation of these capricious plants becomes a simple entertainment. That is why we pay attention only to the most resistant varieties resistant to natural anomalies . Such of a huge number of varieties (about 600) can count only about 18, they all grow on the territory of the former USSR and are on the verge of extinction. Many are listed in the Red Book.

Choose a place

This is a very important point, since it is not possible to plant where it is necessary to plant a rhododendron, the result will not be exact. This plant is extremely demanding of humidity, so it is very good if you plant it next to the garden pond. But it's not easy to please the royal "pink bush". He prefers a place in the penumbra, without necessarily direct sunlight and drafts. Inadequate and lowlands, in which there is a stagnation of water. This is especially important when growing rhododendrons in the suburbs. Planting and caring for this capricious plant also assumes a lot of attention to the soil. And if the direct sunny still some varieties carry, then the soil is very demanding all sorts. It should be quite acidic, that is, contain peat. If you have clay or sandy soil, you will have to work a little. To grow well rhododendrons in the suburbs, planting and care involves the preparation of a peat pit. That is, in the earth you make a wide and shallow pit and fill it with a mixture into which peat, leaf land and river sand enter. You can add sawdust instead of leaf humus. It is very desirable to add a complex fertilizer, as well as sulfur, which acidifies the soil.

Landing

This is the most important moment, which must be approached with all responsibility. To grow well and blossom rhododendrons in the suburbs, planting and care must meet the requirements of this fancy plant. This concerns irrigation in the first place. Before planting the container with a young plant should be put in water, so that it is properly saturated with water. Seedling should be watered abundantly, making an earth cushion, so that the land does not go away. However, do not forget that the root neck should not be buried, on the contrary, raise it above the previous level. Remember that this plant does not tolerate drought, if you can not provide regular watering, then do not you better take it for growing it.

We will dwell a little more on this topic, as it is extremely important that you grow a beautiful rhododendron. Care, watering the fertilizing - all this must be done with knowledge. For example, a young plant needs watering every day, pouring at least 5 liters of water under the root. An adult plant can live without watering for two days, but it takes at least a bucket for each plant. During the flowering period, watering should be increased, and in the morning and in the evening it is necessary to spray the plant abundantly. There is one more nuance: the water must be acidic. For this, add 2-4 g of citric acid to a bucket of water.

Care

Especially effective looks evergreen rhododendron. Planting and care in the suburbs differ from growing it in the gardens of England or France, but, in fact, you only need to survive the first year, and then the plant will grow in growth. The most important point is a sufficient level of humidity. Water the plants with soft water. Very well, if you have a rainwater system in the garden, it will benefit your plants. The only restriction - do not turn it on in the middle of the day, plants can get burns.

Today, many plant rhododendrons in the suburbs. Planting and nursing in the spring are not anything complicated, and the gardener carelessly leaves the plant to the mercy of fate. And after a while he notices drying leaves and dying shoots. This is affected by a lack of moisture or air for the root system. From this we draw another conclusion: the soil needs to be loosened. And they do it very carefully, because the roots are located next to the ground and they are easy to damage. If there are weeds growing around the bush, they should be carefully pulled out, but not digged.

Top dressing

Like all ornamental flowering plants, very responsive to the application of fertilizers and rhododendrons. In the suburbs, planting and nursing, reproduction and cultivation of these beautiful plants is conditioned by climatic features, however, with a great desire, it is possible to grow excellent gardens here. Start feeding should be from the spring, in order to activate the growth and flowering of plants. It is best to choose special liquid fertilizers, the price of which is not so great. There are complexes designed specifically for these plants. Feeding should be every two weeks, alternating organic and mineral fertilizers. By autumn, in order to prepare the plant for winter and prevent the growth of new shoots, it is necessary to completely remove the fertilizing and severely restrict watering. If it rains, then the watering is completely cleaned.

Transfer

Not the most problematic topic for gardeners is planting. Care, reproduction of rhododendrons is a whole art that needs to be learned. Planting plants can be at any time of the year, as they are sold in closed containers, but the transplant can be performed only in the spring, but at the same time, make sure that flower buds have not yet awakened. If you buy ready seedlings, then pay attention to the soil was wet, but without mold. If the pot is removed with difficulty, then try to cut it, so as not to damage the earthen lump. However, if you already have one plant on the site, you can use it to grow your garden of miracles.

Reproduction

A lot of time, caring and love requires a handsome rhododendron. Planting, growing, nursing and breeding - all this requires some effort, but how beautiful these blossoming shrubs then bloom! In order to have new plants in your garden, you can use seeds. They are germinated in a small pot, from 5 to 8 weeks. If during this time the plants did not ascend, then the seeds are substandard. After the seeds form the first two leaves, they should be deposited in separate containers.

Cuttings are much faster to breed. It is best to plant them in the fall. Cuttings cut off all leaves and kidneys, and also make an oblique cut. After rooting, the plant is ready to be transplanted into the open ground. If you decide to transplant the rhododendron, then know that you now have a chance to get several plants without any effort. This is achieved by a simple division of the bush. If the transplant is not planned, just take the lower shoot, cut a little and prikopayte it near the parent plant. Once the escape will give the roots, it can be set aside.

Trimming

Usually rhododendron does not require frequent, serious pruning. The gardener most often simply removes dead wood or withered inflorescences. Do not forget to perform the last procedure. Since the plant is abundantly flowering every year, the number of inflorescences may decrease. By cleaning the dry inflorescences, you help the plant to form a beautiful crown. In addition, pruning may be required if it is necessary to reduce the size of the plant. For this purpose, branches 2-3 cm in diameter are removed first.

Diseases

Most often our plants are ill because we can not provide them with decent living conditions. Not an exception and rhododendrons in the suburbs. Planting and nursing, diseases associated with the violation of agricultural technology - this is the most frequent reason that gardeners refuse to grow this royal plant on their site. Of the insects, garden snails and slugs, spider mites, mealy moths, weevils and scabbards most often attack him. Insecticides work well against all these misfortunes.

There are also more dangerous diseases in this plant, which can ruin your entire collection. These are vascular wilt and late blight rot, gray rot and blotchiness. In order to protect the garden from these misfortunes, use drugs like "Inta Vir".

Organization of wintering

There are a number of varieties that normally tolerate hibernation even in Western Siberia. This rhododendron is Daurian and Smirnova, evergreen. In addition to them, I would like to note the rhododendron yellow, deciduous and Katevbinsky, tall. Also successfully cultivated rhododendron dense, elite, Helsinki University. These plants are not afraid of the cold, but they should still be covered, since the icy wind can greatly harm them. In the autumn, plants need to be well watered, then they are covered with lapnik or rug, and also they are protected from the wind, for example, they are tied with straw and covered with a film. So your bush will calmly overwinter, and in the spring will give many bright impressions. However, from the bright, spring sun, it will also need to be shaded, only then the flowering will be rich.