Tips on rhododendrons and azaleas
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March 21, 2008 - 03:00 PM

Submitted Photo

The ‘Nifty Fifty’ is a deciduous azalea that grows about 5 feet in 15 years. It received the Rhododendron of the Year Award for the Northwest region by the American Rhododendron Society. Below: The ‘Taurus’ is a big-leaf rhododendron and grows about 6 feet in 10 years. It received the Rhododendron of the Year Award for the Northwest region by the American Rhododendron Society. Photos by Harold Greer
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By Sonja Nelson
Special to the Courier-Times

Rhododendrons and azaleas are star players during the spring bloom season in many of our gardens in Skagit County.

The largest of them can sport flower trusses as big as volleyballs, while smaller ones can nestle in among other shrubs and behave more like team players.

Big or small, the choice of flower color runs the gamut from red to pink to violet to yellow. Moreover, rhododendrons are well-suited to the Northwest climate and are prey to few pests and diseases. No wonder most gardens include at least one or two of these remarkable plants.

Fortunately, the wide choice of rhododendrons, (the genus Rhododendron includes azaleas) offers gardeners the chance to pick ones to suit a particular garden site, and our local nurseries offer a remarkable variety.

Now is the time to see the flowers on nursery plants before making a choice. Be sure, however, to read the label to see how big the plant will eventually grow. Remember, too, that you will be looking at the foliage for most of the year, so choose a plant with attractive leaves.

In spite of their general liking for our part of the country, rhododendrons do have certain needs that must be met if they are to do their best.

Our native soil tends to be acidic, which rhododendrons like. They also like well-draining soil.

Water needs to flow through the soil and not pool at the plant’s roots. Sandy loam is the best, but even with this type of soil you need to make sure water does not accumulate at the bottom of the planting hole. (You may have to add gravel to the bottom of the planting hole if it does not drain well.)

A second soil need is that rhododendrons like air in the soil — about one-third should be air. To achieve this is relatively easy — add a fine bark so that you have about one part soil and one part bark.

In addition to adding air to the soil, the bark will help the soil retain some moisture. A well-draining soil that is moist but not soggy is the goal.

The planting hole should be as deep as the root ball but twice as wide. After spreading the roots out, place the plant so the top of the root ball is even with the native soil and fill in with the soil-bark mixture.

A newly planted rhododendron will need to be watered regularly the first year. Well-established plants may need no watering at all.

Fertilizing rhododendrons is generally recommended. Apply a rhododendron-type fertilizer in February around the drip zone of the plant (a circle at the outer edge of the plant). Follow directions on the product package for amounts.

If the rhododendron is planted properly, the plant will have the best chance of resisting pests and diseases.

The most irksome pest is the root weevil, which eats notches at the edges of leaves. Recently, some effective products have been developed to counter these pests.

The main component in these products is bifenthrin, a synthetic pyrethroid. Look for this component on the package.

Gardeners are often mystified about how to prune a rhododendron. The best time is when the new leaves are unfolding and the plant is “pushing” growth this spring. Rhododendron leaves grow in whorls along a branch. To shorten a branch, cut just above a whorl of leaves. A rhododendron can be pruned quite drastically if it has over-grown its site. In this case, the cautious pruner can do a few branches a year to ensure its survival.

If gardeners would like to see a rhododendron garden built from scratch, an opportunity exists to do just that. The Master Gardeners are in the process of creating a rhododendron display garden at the Discovery Gardens at the Washington State University Cooperative Extension site on Memorial Highway near Mount Vernon. Rhododendrons of many varieties and companion plants will be planted in raised beds. It is a good chance to learn about soil, planting and the plants themselves.

Another source for all kinds of information on rhododendrons is the American Rhododendron Society Web site at http://www.rhododendron.org. The site is particularly good for choosing which rhododendrons to grow based on plant characteristics and climate.

Especially the plants that have received the Rhododendron of the Year awards for the Northwest. These plants have proven themselves in our area. The photos that accompany this article are of plants that have earned this award.

In the meantime, enjoy the spring bloom. Flower bud set has been good this year, promising a spectacular season.

n Sonja Nelson is a member of the Komo Kulshan Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society. The chapter meets the third Thursday of each month in the Burlington Community Center, except for June, July, August and December. See the chapter’s Web site for dates and programs: http://www.flounder.ca/KomoKulshan/index.asp


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