Familiar face of nature

There are only a handful of plants which are recognisable, instantly, by just about everyone; roses and tulips, daffodils and snowdrops are easy to name.
By The Newsroom
Published 21st Sep 2010, 15:09 BST
Updated 21st Sep 2010, 15:10 BST

And you can't hide from a rhododendron. The vast majority of rhododendrons and azaleas are at home in woodlands where the soil is rich in organic matter built up over the years. Recreate these conditions in the garden and they should flourish. The aim is to try to create a growing medium which is acidic because rhododendrons grow poorly on soils which are alkaline.

Once upon a time, adding copious amounts of peat would do the trick; today, the world has woken up to the environmental impact of harvesting peatlands, so it's far better to use leafmould or composted bark. Container-grown plants are available all year round, so it's possible to plant now.

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So, ensure that beds, borders or containers are ready – dig a decent hole and fork over the bottom; incorporate plenty of organic material, lining the bottom and sides of the hole with it to encourage the rhododendron to root, and if the soil looks sandy, pop in

handful of fertiliser (as long as it contains no lime).

When the shrub is in position, ensure that no air is left round the roots, water, then firm the soil with your wellies; water again and top off with a mulch of composted bark. That's it. It's then up to the rhododendron or azalea to get on with growing. Every year, give it a dose of fertiliser and another mulch.

Prune only when you spot a damaged or diseased stem, and watch out for pests and problems.

Chlorosis, when the leaves start to yellow; water with sequestered iron. Bud blast, when flower buds turn brown and die; remove all signs of infection and spray with Bordeaux mixture.

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Leafhopper, a small insect which sucks the sap; spray with a suitable insecticide.

Both rhododendrons and azaleas can be propagated relatively easily, but

be patient. The easiest way is to layer a shoot.

In late spring, find a young shoot near soil level and cut partially through it, just below a leaf joint. Dig a small hole in the earth below it and fill it with sand. Press the shoot gently into the hole and pin it down so that the half-cut area is in the sand. Then cover it with soil, leaving the shoot tip clear of the soil. Water.

In four or five months, the "damaged" shoot will have thrown out new roots. Check to make sure there is a healthy rootball and then cut the stem from the parent plant.

The rooted cutting can then be potted up and grown on until it is ready to be planted outdoors.

YP MAG 25/9/10