Flowers All Over

If you are a serious gardener, you spend lots of time outdoors. And, for sure, you would rather be tending your plants than swatting mosquitoes.

In the past few years I’ve read about, and have seen more interest in wildflowers, so I figure it’s about time I jump in and add my two cents.

I have watched in despair as some of my friends have created a wildflower bed in their yard, and have ended with the biggest, ugliest patch of weeds I have ever seen. Why did they get weeds instead of wildflowers?

Two reasons.

One they were armed with a lack of good information, and two, they were lead to believe that planting a beautiful bed of wildflowers is so easy that a child could do it. Actually, a child could do it, and with great success. But o­nly if that child were extremely lucky, or had a basic understanding of exactly how to plant a bed of wildflowers and achieve incredible success.

In the next few minutes I intend to arm you with enough good information so you can successfully plant a beautiful bed of wildflowers, and have your neighbors hanging over the fence asking you how ya did it.

First of all, you’ve got to understand what kind of a neighborhood wildflowers like to live in. They tend to prefer wide open spaces with at least 8 hours of sunshine each day. It’s true, they are sun worshipers. They also like the soil to be rich in nutrients, and well drained. They don’t like hard packed soil, and they don’t like to get their sneakers wet, o­nly for short periods of time.

If you have an area that tends to be wet, wildflowers are not the answer.

Wildflowers can be used for weed control, and with a great deal of success. But you have to give the wildflowers a running start, or the weeds will keep the area “Wildflower Free”. Weeds and wildflowers are both sun worshipers, so who ever reaches the top first wins. Neither will grow well without adequate sunlight. If you use this to your advantage you can have a beautiful bed of wildflowers that requires little maintenance.

The secret is proper bed preparation. You must create a bed that is as weed free as possible. You can do this by removing all the vegetation from the area you intend to plant in, and then prepare the soil for planting by tilling or raking to a depth of just o­ne inch or less. Do not disturb the soil any deeper than that, or you will just disturb dormant weed seeds that are just waiting to be brought back to the surface so they can grow. You should consider spraying the existing vegetation with Roudup before you remove it. This will kill all the roots that might still be in the soil.

Keep in mind that you need to spray the weeds or grass with Roundup at least three days before you disturb them. If you feel that the area you have chosen has significant amount of weed seed near the surface, you might consider letting the soil sit for about six days after you work it, then work it again. Do this over and over, but don’t work the soil more than o­ne inch deep. The longer you continue this process the more apt you are to get the bed as weed free as possible.

Most weed seeds germinate rather quickly, so when you bring them to the surface through your cultivation efforts, you are giving them a chance to germinate. But then when you work the soil again in six days, you will actually interrupt the germination process and the seed will be spent. The longer you continue the process, the fewer viable weed seeds you will have to contend with. Of course additional seeds are blowing in all the time, so it’s unrealistic to think that you can create a planting bed that is free of weed seed.

The most important aspect of this process is to have your bed as ready as possible, at the ideal time for planting wildflower seeds. The secret of success is to plant the wildflower seeds at the ideal time so they take off growing immediately, and beat the weeds at their own game.

The ideal time? Depends o­n where you live. If you’re in zones o­ne through six, you should plant in the spring. If you’re in zones seven through 11, you should probably plant in the fall.

Wildflower seeds like warm soil. They will germinate best with a soil temperature of 68 to 70 degrees F. So if you live in a cooler region, you should wait until later in the spring to plant. There’s no point planting when the soil temperature is 45 degrees and have the seeds just lay there while some of the weeds seeds germinate. You’d be much better off to continue working the soil as described above until the soil temperature is up to 68 degrees.

I’ll say it again, just in case you missed it earlier. Don’t work the soil any deeper than o­ne inch.

Now for planting the wildflower seeds.

The best way to plant your wildflower seeds is to distribute them with a small hand held broadcast spreader, or to apply them in a manor that mimics that technique. In order to get the best coverage you should thoroughly mix the seeds with dry sand, vermiculite, or potting soil to increase the volume before you spread them. It’s a lot easier to evenly distribute five pounds of granular material over an area than it is 8 ounces.

As you spread the seeds walk in straight lines from o­ne end of the bed to the other. Then do the same thing from the side of the bed in a criss cross pattern to the first set of footsteps you made. This will give you thorough and even distribution. This is why you should mix the seeds with some sort of filler material before you start, so you have plenty of volume to work with, and will be able to cover the area completely and evenly.

I urge you to visit www.wildseedfarms.com and ask for a catalog, or call their toll free number. 1-800-848-0078 This company publishes o­ne of the most complete and informative catalogs I’ve ever seen. They have a color photo of each variety, along with a good description. They even tell you what percentage of seeds you can expect to germinate, and this varies from variety to variety, so they list this information for each variety.

They also tell you how long each variety takes to germinate, and what the ideal soil temperature is. They also tell you how many seeds are in each pack, how many seeds in a pound, and how much seed you need to cover a given area. Wildflower seeds have germination periods of 6 to 28 days, so you have to keep this in mind as you plan your garden. If you select a variety that has a 28 day germination period, you should select a second variety with a much quicker germination period and mix them together before sowing.

If you were to sow o­nly seeds with a 28 day germination period the weeds would get a jump o­n the wildflowers, and you would likely end up with a weed garden. When you mix seeds with different germination periods, the faster germinating seeds will come up very quick, and act as a nurse crop for the seeds that need more time, keeping the weeds and birds at bay until all the seeds can germinate.

Good luck with your wildflower garden! Have fun, and enjoy.

Michael J. McGroarty is the author of this article. Visit his most
interesting website, http://www.freeplants.com and sign up for his
excellent gardening newsletter, and grab a FREE copy of his
E-book, “Easy Plant Propagation”.

Putting flowers in your candle will add a unique look, while preserving your favorite flower. We have been asked many times, how to put flowers and other objects on the outside of a candle. So, we’ll be showing you how it is done. The most important thing to remember is to be safe. Putting anything on your candle such as paint, dried flowers, ribbon and other objects, pose a fire risk.

While this is unlikely to happen with this project, we need to warn you before hand. We do not recommend burning any candle that has flammable material o­n it.

To start with, you will need a few supplies. First and the most important is a big pillar candle, at least 3″ in diameter. This will help keep the flame out of reach of anything you put o­n the candle. You will also need to have a small white votive, or the same color votive as your pillar, an old pan to melt wax in, a paint brush, dried flowers or herbs and ribbon.

Candle making is an art, and requires exact precision in the melting process of the wax. Luckily you do not have to be exact in this project. Place the votive in your old pot; you will not be able to use this pot for food ever again. Next place the heat o­n Low Medium to Medium heat, DO NOT HEAT o­n HIGH. The o­nly thing we want to accomplish here is to melt the wax down to a liquid. As soon as the last solid piece melts, is when you turn the heat down to low.

Next, select what you will want to put o­n your candle. If you are using flowers and leaves, make sure they have been pressed. Take the paint brush and paint some melted wax o­nto the candle where you wish to place the flower. Place the flower o­n the wax before it hardens. The wax will harden quickly, securing the flower in place. Repeat this step for the leaves as well.

Another great idea is to place a picture o­n the candle using the method of painting the wax o­nto the candle. You can use many different things, but they must be flat.

After placing all your flowers and leaves o­nto the candle, we will need to seal the. The wax in your pot may have hardened some, so heat it o­n Medium Low to get the wax melted again. Brush the entire candle with wax. This will seal the flowers in place and give it a smooth finish. You might have to apply several coats. But if you use a picture, do not brush over it, this will ruin the picture and you will not be able to see the picture clearly.

Last you can tie a ribbon around your candle to top it off. Another idea is to use the melted wax and paint small metal beads o­nto the candle for further embellishment.

This project can be done in many different ways, using anything from flowers, herbs, pictures to beads and glitter. But keep in mind the safety of your candle. We recommend not burning candles with flammable materials o­n them. If you do decide to burn these candles, use large pillars, as the sides of the candle tend not to burn down. Have fun and Enjoy.

Azaleas can be either evergreen or deciduous. Deciduous Azaleas are known as Mollis or Exbury Azaleas. They bloom in the early spring with vivid orange and yellow colors. They can be grown from seed if the seeds are collected in the fall and sown on top of moist peat at about 70 degrees F.

Evergreen Azaleas are known as broad leaf evergreens because they are do not have needles. They bloom later in the spring, and are usually propagated in the fall over bottom heat, discussed in detail at Rhododendrons are also broad leaf evergreens and are also propagated over bottom heat in early winter.

The best time to prune Rhododendrons and Azaleas is in the spring right after they bloom. These plants start setting next years flower buds over the summer, so late pruning will cost you some blooms next year, so get them pruned as soon as they finish blooming. It’s also a good idea to pick off the spent blooms so the plants don’t expel a lot of energy making seeds, unless of course you’d like to grow them from seed. But keep in mind that they don’t come true from seed.

Seeds from a red Rhododendron are likely to flower pale lavender. Cuttings insure a duplicate of the parent plant. How do you prune Rhododendrons and what does pinching a Rhododendron mean? These are frequently asked questions.

Pinching is a low impact form of pruning that is very effective for creating nice, tight full plants when you are growing small plants from seeds or cuttings. Typically a Rhododendron forms a single new bud at the tip of each branch. This new bud will develop into another new branch, another bud will form and the process will continue. If left alone this will produce a very lanky plant with a lot of space between the branches forming a very unattractive plant.

So if you are starting with a plant that is nothing more than a rooted cutting all you have to do is pinch off this new growth bud as soon as it is about 3/8” long. Just grab it between your fingers and snap it completely off. When you do this the plant usually responds by replacing that single bud with two, three, or even four new buds in a cluster around the bud that you pinched off. Each o­ne of these buds will develop into branches and eventually a single bud will appear at the tip of each of these branches, and of course you should come along and pinch each o­ne of those off forcing the plant to produce multiple buds at the end of each of these branches.

The more often you pinch off these single buds, the more branches the plant will form, making a nice, tight, full plant. This is especially helpful with young plants such as rooted cuttings or young seedlings.

But what about larger plants, how do I prune them? I prune mine with hedge shears!!! I just have at it and trim them like I would a Taxus or a Juniper, and guess what? The result is a very tight compact plant loaded with beautiful flowers. My Rhododendrons are so tightly branched that you can not see through them, and that is the result of vigorous pruning with hedge shears. Sure you can use hand shears, and you’ll have a nicer plant because of it, but I just use the hedge shears because that’s the tool that I happen to have in my hand as I am going by.

Keeping Rhododendrons and Azaleas healthy and happy is a simple as understanding what they like. First of all they like to grow in a climate that suites their tastes. Many varieties of both don’t like it in the north, and to prove the point they will up and die as soon as extreme cold weather hits. Buy plants that are known to be hardy in your area.

Here in zone 5 (northern Ohio) the following Azaleas seem to do well. Hino Crimson (red), Stewartstonia (red), Herbert (lavender), Cascade (white), Delaware Valley (white), and Rosebud (pink). Hardy Rhododendrons include Roseum Elegans (pinkish lavender), English Roseum (pinkish lavender), Nova Zembla (red), Lee’s Dark Purple, Chinoides (white), and Cunningham’s (white).

How should you fertilize Rhododendrons and Azaleas? These broad leaf evergreens are laid back and like to take it slow and easy. Do not fertilize them with quick release nitrogen fertilizers, it could kill them. Instead give them an organic snack, like Millorganite or well rotted cow manure or compost. Millorganite is an organic fertilizer made of granulated sewage sludge.

No it doesn’t smell any worse than other fertilizers, and plants like it because it is plant and soil friendly. It won’t burn the plants, and it actually reactivates the micro-organisms in the soil. That’s a good thing. Most full service garden centers carry Milorganite.

A long time ago somebody let the word out that Rhododendrons are acid loving plants, and people are always asking me if I think their struggling Rhododendron needs more acid. The answer is no. Your struggling Rhododendron probably needs a great big gulp of oxygen around it’s root system.

Rhododendrons do not like wet feet. They don’t even like high humidity let alone wet soil around their roots. They like to be high and dry, and like an unobstructed flow of oxygen to their roots. You can accomplish this by planting them in a bed raised at least 10” with good rich topsoil. They will be smiling from branch to branch.

A few years back my friend Larry and I had several hundred small Rhododendrons that we were going to grow o­n to larger plants. We planted most of them in Larry’s backyard which is fairly good soil, but a little sticky. We didn’t have room for all of them so we planted the last 105 down the road from my house in a field we were renting. (Never heard of anybody renting a field? You should get out more.)

This location had absolutely no water for irrigating and the soil was very dry and rocky. Other plants at that location often struggled during the dog days of summer due to the lack of water, but those Rhododendrons were as happy as pigs in mud. They out grew the o­nes at Larry’s house by twice the rate and we sold them years earlier than the others.

My point? Rhododendrons don’t like wet feet. They do well in the shade, but contrary to popular belief they do even better in full sunlight.

Michael J. McGroarty is the author of this article. Visit his most
interesting website, http://www.freeplants.com and sign up for his
excellent gardening newsletter, and grab a FREE copy of his
E-book, “Easy Plant Propagation”

To help gardeners choose flowers, various systems for rating hardiness have been developed. A plant is considered hardy in a region if it can grow and thrive there without requiring special protective measures such as insulating with straw mulch.
Sep 22, 2004 – 06:57 PM

The first thing to look for is the plant’s grade.
Nearly all bare root roses sold today are grown in the field and are approximetly two years old. They are sold in three main grades.

Grade 1 is the best and most expensive grade. In order to obtain this grade the plants are required to have at least three strong cains, two of which must be at least 18 inches in length for hybrid teas anf grandifloras. The canes should be at least 1/8 inch in diameter.

Grade 1 1/2 is the most popular grade due to it’s lesser price. In order to obtain this grade the plants are required to have at least two strong canes which must be at least 15 inches long for hybrid teas and grandifloras. The canes should be at least 1/8 inch in diameter.

Grade 2 is the least expensive grade. These plants are o­nly required to have two canes 12 inches or longer. These plants can be a gamble as they may be stunted.

Note: Measurements are for plants when dug from the fields. Sometimes the plant sellers will shorten the length of the canes for easier handling. The number of canes remain the same and usually the thicker the diameter the better the plant.

There are three main sources for buying roses.

Nurseries are normally more expensive but are usually the best places to buy your plants. Plants are normally kept in sawdust thereby allowing you to inspect the roots. Plants with badly damaged roots are less likely to do well and may not make it at all. Additionally, a nursery usually carries a large variety of new and old standards. Finally, a good nurseryperson can provide advice as to which plants do best in your area and climate.

Mail order suppliers are normally less expensive and usually have a greater variety of plants than your local nursery, however you can not inspect the plants before buying and they sometimes arrive damaged. Furthermore, although most mail order suppliers are reputable a few are disreputable and ship very poor quality plants. Additionally, it is hard and can be expensive to return plants that you are unhappy with.

Supermarkets are inexpensive but usually carry a limited variety of plants. Additionally the plants usually come with their roots wrapped in plastic, therefore you are unable to inspect the roots for damage. Plants can be treated roughly in supermarkets, not o­nly by the people that stock them, but also by customers. Therefore, there is a much greater potential for damage.

Should you buy newly developed varieties or the old standards?

Which variety of plant you purchase depends o­n your taste and what is available for your climate.

There are hundreds of varieties of roses, however I prefer the older time proven standards. They may not come in as many color variations but they are reliable, still come in a large variety of colors and are usually more heavily scented (I like to smell the roses). My two favorites are both red. The Chrysler Imperial is a full well shaped velvety dark crimson red flower with a rich delightful fragrance which grows o­n a heavily flowering medium height bush. Mister Lincoln has long buds with full open dark rich red fragrant flowers with long stems and grows o­n a tall bush with dark glossy leaves.

Roses, if properly cared for, can last years. Therefore, in order to obtain the most enjoyment from your plants it is a good idea to do your research. Spend some time looking at types, colors, shapes and sizes. Check catalogues, the internet, check out friend’s gardens and if possible go to an arboretum or nursery. Look at and smell the roses before buying.

So, you have decided to plant rose bushes in your yard or on your patio, porch or balcony. Now all you have to do is go out and buy some bushes and plant them. Right? Wrong!!

There are several things that you have to decide before buying:

1. Where are you planning o­n planting?

2. Are you going to plant in the ground or in containers?

3. Do you want roses that are scented or unscented?

4. Do you want bushes, trees, climbers, vining or do you want them to grow into a hedge?

5. Do you want large, medium, small or miniature blooms?

6. Do you want roses for cutting?

7. What colors go best with your garden, patio, porch or balcony?

There are several types of roses, among them are:

Hybrid teas bloom frequently, are hardy, come in a wide range of colors, are well sented and are good for cutting for vases. The size of the blooms and the length of the stem depends o­n how they are pruned. They make the best long stem roses for cutting.

Hybrid perpetuals are seldom planted today as they have a limited color range and normally bloom less frequently. They are, however, quite hardy and have large well scented blooms. The “American Beauty” rose is from this category.

Grandifloras are a cross between hybrid teas and floribundas. The flowers are the same size and shape as hybrid teas, however they usually have an abundance of blooms o­n each stem. These roses are very popular for growing in containers.

Floribundas have slightly smaller flowers but are hardier, have a longer growing season in cold climates and yeild large numbers of flowers.

Polyanthas are small averaging just 18 inches in height. They are very hardy and produce large clusters of small flowers.

Miniatures average between 6 and 12 inches in height, carry small o­ne inch or less blooms, are hardy and require little care. These make very good balcony container roses.

Climbers come in several types, Ramblers which are hardy, fast growing and can develope canes up to 20 feet long. Pillars are slower growing upright palnts that are well suited for growing o­n posts. Trailers are low growing easy to maintain plants good for covering banks and walls. Large Flowered Climbers are slower growing but have more showey flowers and are good for growing against fences and low walls. Hybrid Teas , Floribundas and Polyanthas can sometimes become climbers and have the same characteristics as the bushes.

Tree Roses can be developed from any type of rose. They are made by grafting a bush o­nto a long thick trunk. These look great o­n a patio or porch.

Shrub Roses are normally small, hardy fairly continuesly blooming bushes that can be used as hedge (hedges can grow to 5 or 6 feet and provide inexpensive privacy and color), thicket and trellis (trellis roses can add a beautiful accent to a yard or home entryway and can be made into an arch) roses. There are even varieties that can be used as ground cover o­n embankments or planted in hanging pots.

Today roses come in hundreds of varieties with new varieties being developed every year and in an almost limitless number of colors and color variations. It has been my experience, however, that usually the darker the color the heavier the scent. Most white roses seem to have no scent at all.

If you choose the right roses for the right place you can add beauty and elegance to any garden, patio, porch or balcony without spending large amounts of money or time.

What could be better than kicking back after
a hard day’s work and enjoy watching
butterflies flit peacefully around your very
own garden? Here are some tips for making your
fantasy come true!

- Butterflies love color! Choose a variety of
plants for best results.

- Plant flowers in groups. These are easier
for butterflies to see.

- Butterfly-loving flowers include Hibiscus,
Rosemary, Asters, Daylilies and Black-eyed Susans,
among others.

- Provide both sunny, open areas and shady o­nes
for butterfly sunning and resting.

- A little overripe fruit is delicious to your
colorful winged friends!

- Plant some flowers in pots you can move around.

- Discover what butterflies are native to your
region in the US.
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/bflyusa/bflyusa.htm

- Share the beauty! Plan to entertain often in
your butterfly garden!

- Be cautious using insecticides; most are toxic
to butterflies.

The secret to making your flowering trees, shrubs, annuals, and perennials bloom more is in the numbers. All fertilizers have analysis numbers on the package. These numbers represent the percentage of each chemical the product contains.

For example, 12-12-12 is a typical garden garden fertilizer that would contain 12% nitrogen, 12%phosphorous, and 12% potassium. The quick explanation is; nitrogen produces vegetative, or top growth, phosphorous produces flower buds, fruit, and root development, while potassium builds strong healthy plants.

Most lawn grasses are vigorous growers and therefore require significantly more nitrogen than the other plants in your yard. A lawn fertilizer would have an analysis of 26-3-3, indicating a fertilizer high in nitrogen. You would not want to use a fertilizer containing such a high percentage of nitrogen o­n landscape plants because it would be very easy to burn them. You must also keep in mind that many lawn fertilizers contain broad leaf weed killers, and most ornamental plants have broad leaves. The fertilizer doesn’t know the difference, and it will damage or kill ornamental trees and shrubs.

During the summer months the growth rate of most plants slows down, and when plants are not actively growing, they need very little nitrogen. Although not vigorously putting o­n new growth, many plants such as Dogwood Trees, Rhododendrons, and Azaleas are quietly working to produce flower buds for next year. Annual and perennial flowers are also busy making new flower buds.

To encourage flower bud production you can apply a fertilizer that contains a small percentage of nitrogen, a higher percentage of phosphorous, and a little potassium. I recently purchased a liquid fertilizer with an analysis of 5-30- 5, ideal for flower production. Because the product is sold as a bloom producer, the manufacture also added a little chelated iron, manganese, and zinc, all good for your plants as well.

Most garden centers and discount stores carry similar products. I chose a liquid fertilizer because liquid fertilizers are absorbed both through the roots and systemically through the foliage, so they work quicker. I used a sprayer that attaches to the end of the garden hose to apply the fertilizer, but do not use the same hose end sprayer that you use for lawn fertilizers. There could be residual weed killer still in the sprayer.

About those hose end sprayers. I purchased o­ne that is supposed to automatically mix the proper ratio for you. I used it to apply a general insecticide, and it worked, but it sure seemed like I went through a lot more insecticide than I needed. When I used it for the fertilizer the screen o­n the little pick up hose inside the jar kept getting clogged with the tiny solids in the fertilizer. I recommend using a solution of o­ne part liquid fertilizer to o­ne part water in the sprayer jar, and applying at a heavier rate.

Watch the liquid in the sprayer jar, and if it isn’t going down remove the lid and clean the little screen by spraying it with water from the garden hose. Read the application instructions o­n the container to determine how much fertilizer to apply, and how often. A fertilizer high in phosphorous will increase flower production. You will see a difference.

Remember the golden rule of applying fertilizers. “Not enough, is always better than too much.”

Michael J. McGroarty is the author of this article. Visit his most
interesting website, http://www.freeplants.com and sign up for his
excellent gardening newsletter, and grab a FREE copy of his
E-book, “Easy Plant Propagation”

Azaleas can be either evergreen or deciduous. Deciduous Azaleas are known as Mollis or Exbury Azaleas. They bloom in the early spring with vivid orange and yellow colors. They can be grown from seed if the seeds are collected in the fall and sown on top of moist peat at about 70 degrees F.

Evergreen Azaleas are known as broad leaf evergreens because they are do not have needles. They bloom later in the spring, and are usually propagated in the fall over bottom heat, discussed in detail at Rhododendrons are also broad leaf evergreens and are also propagated over bottom heat in early winter.

The best time to prune Rhododendrons and Azaleas is in the spring right after they bloom. These plants start setting next years flower buds over the summer, so late pruning will cost you some blooms next year, so get them pruned as soon as they finish blooming. It’s also a good idea to pick off the spent blooms so the plants don’t expel a lot of energy making seeds, unless of course you’d like to grow them from seed. But keep in mind that they don’t come true from seed.

Seeds from a red Rhododendron are likely to flower pale lavender. Cuttings insure a duplicate of the parent plant. How do you prune Rhododendrons and what does pinching a Rhododendron mean? These are frequently asked questions.

Pinching is a low impact form of pruning that is very effective for creating nice, tight full plants when you are growing small plants from seeds or cuttings. Typically a Rhododendron forms a single new bud at the tip of each branch. This new bud will develop into another new branch, another bud will form and the process will continue. If left alone this will produce a very lanky plant with a lot of space between the branches forming a very unattractive plant.

So if you are starting with a plant that is nothing more than a rooted cutting all you have to do is pinch off this new growth bud as soon as it is about 3/8” long. Just grab it between your fingers and snap it completely off. When you do this the plant usually responds by replacing that single bud with two, three, or even four new buds in a cluster around the bud that you pinched off. Each o­ne of these buds will develop into branches and eventually a single bud will appear at the tip of each of these branches, and of course you should come along and pinch each o­ne of those off forcing the plant to produce multiple buds at the end of each of these branches.

The more often you pinch off these single buds, the more branches the plant will form, making a nice, tight, full plant. This is especially helpful with young plants such as rooted cuttings or young seedlings.

But what about larger plants, how do I prune them? I prune mine with hedge shears!!! I just have at it and trim them like I would a Taxus or a Juniper, and guess what? The result is a very tight compact plant loaded with beautiful flowers. My Rhododendrons are so tightly branched that you can not see through them, and that is the result of vigorous pruning with hedge shears. Sure you can use hand shears, and you’ll have a nicer plant because of it, but I just use the hedge shears because that’s the tool that I happen to have in my hand as I am going by.

Keeping Rhododendrons and Azaleas healthy and happy is a simple as understanding what they like. First of all they like to grow in a climate that suites their tastes. Many varieties of both don’t like it in the north, and to prove the point they will up and die as soon as extreme cold weather hits. Buy plants that are known to be hardy in your area.

Here in zone 5 (northern Ohio) the following Azaleas seem to do well. Hino Crimson (red), Stewartstonia (red), Herbert (lavender), Cascade (white), Delaware Valley (white), and Rosebud (pink). Hardy Rhododendrons include Roseum Elegans (pinkish lavender), English Roseum (pinkish lavender), Nova Zembla (red), Lee’s Dark Purple, Chinoides (white), and Cunningham’s (white).

How should you fertilize Rhododendrons and Azaleas? These broad leaf evergreens are laid back and like to take it slow and easy. Do not fertilize them with quick release nitrogen fertilizers, it could kill them. Instead give them an organic snack, like Millorganite or well rotted cow manure or compost. Millorganite is an organic fertilizer made of granulated sewage sludge.

No it doesn’t smell any worse than other fertilizers, and plants like it because it is plant and soil friendly. It won’t burn the plants, and it actually reactivates the micro-organisms in the soil. That’s a good thing. Most full service garden centers carry Milorganite.

A long time ago somebody let the word out that Rhododendrons are acid loving plants, and people are always asking me if I think their struggling Rhododendron needs more acid. The answer is no. Your struggling Rhododendron probably needs a great big gulp of oxygen around it’s root system.

Rhododendrons do not like wet feet. They don’t even like high humidity let alone wet soil around their roots. They like to be high and dry, and like an unobstructed flow of oxygen to their roots. You can accomplish this by planting them in a bed raised at least 10” with good rich topsoil. They will be smiling from branch to branch.

A few years back my friend Larry and I had several hundred small Rhododendrons that we were going to grow o­n to larger plants. We planted most of them in Larry’s backyard which is fairly good soil, but a little sticky. We didn’t have room for all of them so we planted the last 105 down the road from my house in a field we were renting. (Never heard of anybody renting a field? You should get out more.)

This location had absolutely no water for irrigating and the soil was very dry and rocky. Other plants at that location often struggled during the dog days of summer due to the lack of water, but those Rhododendrons were as happy as pigs in mud. They out grew the o­nes at Larry’s house by twice the rate and we sold them years earlier than the others.

My point? Rhododendrons don’t like wet feet. They do well in the shade, but contrary to popular belief they do even better in full sunlight.

Michael J. McGroarty is the author of this article. Visit his most
interesting website, http://www.freeplants.com and sign up for his
excellent gardening newsletter, and grab a FREE copy of his
E-book, “Easy Plant Propagation”