Rhododendron is one of the most beautiful flowering decorative shrubs. This plant is increasingly planting gardeners in their areas to decorate. Rhododendron is quite unpretentious, one of the most important conditions for caring for this shrub are timely top dressing with various types of fertilizers. About how and when to make fertilizers under the rhododendron in order to achieve a lush flowering of this shrub, and will be told in this article.
What you need to know about the introduction of fertilizers under the rhododendron
Specialized stores provide a large assortment of fertilizers for this flowering bush. How to choose from this variety those drugs that the plant needs at different stages of its growth during the season? And what to consider when buying these fertilizers?
Young rhododendrons are fed only with liquid forms of fertilizers, since such types of top dressing are better absorbed by the root system of these shrubs.
To add to rhododendrons in our latitudes, you should not use imported fertilizers in granules. These drugs are designed for use in other climatic conditions, where a hot time costs more time than in our. Therefore, the use of such drugs in the middle latitudes of our country can lead to an increase in shoots in the last decade of August, when these branches do not have time to prepare for the period of frost and simply freeze in winter.
Under the rhododendrons in no case do wood ash. This organic fertilizer reduces the level of soil acidity, which can cause a disease such as chlorosis in the shrub. The appearance of this disease is indicated by the presence of yellowness between the veins of the leaves.
You should not make a large number of phosphate fertilizers under this shrub. This type of fertilizer, introduced in large quantities, prevents the absorption by the root system of rhododendrons of iron from soil. And iron deficiency can cause the development of chlorosis, especially on young foliage.
Fertilizers containing CL and lime are not applied to this shrub, so as not to change the level of soil acidity. The most optimal for growing rhododendrons is the soil with pH about 5.0.
Under this shrub, fertilizers should be applied three times a season, however, the composition of fertilizers changes depending on the specific time of the year.
The first top dressing of Rhododendron
In the spring, granular mineral fertilizer “Azofoska” is introduced into the trunk circle of this shrub. It includes: N, K and P, which are selected in the following ratio – 22:11:11. This drug is universal, since it contains all the mineral elements necessary for this shrub, necessary in the spring. Nitrogen accelerates the growth of the autonomic mass and the root system, potassium and phosphorus help Rhododendron accelerate the development of buds, strengthen the root system, extend the bloom time. This fertilizer is characterized by the following:
It does not wash out from the soil quickly;
For a long time, it is in the zone of the root system of the flower, which contributes to the long -term power time of the bush with useful substances.
This mineral fertilizer can be applied to any type of soil. It is intended for introducing into the soil under this shrub in the spring, when the rhododendron is forming buds.
When introducing any fertilizers for rhododendron, you should strictly adhere to the dosage indicated in the instructions for the use of complex fertilizers. The increased concentration of minerals and other types of fertilizers introduced into the ground can lead to a burn of the root system of rhododendron, very often plants die for this reason.
Another fertilizer that can be introduced under these flowers in the spring is “Rodi and Azalia Azet”. It includes special microorganisms living in the soil, as well as fungi. The consumption of this granular drug is 1/2 cup per adult bush. This top dressing is made to flowers at the very beginning of the buds blooming. The number of fertilizers made is enough for the plant for several months.
The second introduction of fertilizers under the rhododendron
The next feeding of the flower is carried out in the third decade of May – the first decade of June, after the plant fades. These fertilizers should help the shrub in laying flower buds, which will be revealed next season.
Mineral fertilizer, introduced into the trunk circle of shrub, can be done at home. It is necessary to prepare a mixture of the following drugs: 1 tablespoon of potassium salt and superphosphate and 2 tablespoons of ammonium sulfate. This amount is enough to add 1 m2 of the site.
You can use ready -made drugs like “Universal Kemirs”. It is used with great success by many gardeners to feed flowering perennial shrubs. Fertilizers are diluted in water (the required dosage is indicated on the package) and are entered under the bushes after watering.
But not only mineral fertilizers are introduced under the rhododendron. Organics to this shrub is also necessary. It is best to make liquid fertilizer based on sour horse peat. But any manure should be used extremely carefully. It is usually diluted in the following proportion – 1 kg of manure 20 liters of water, then insisted for 3-4 days so that the mixture is infused. Such fertilizer, introduced into the soil, improves its composition, makes it more loose, improves the supply of soil with oxygen and saturates with useful trace elements. However, the dung solution reduces the acidity of the soil, so this fertilizer cannot be applied to rhododendrons often, and when introduced, it is necessary to monitor the change in the acidity of the soil.
The best fertilizer for rhododendrons during this period is horn flour. It contains a large amount of phosphorus, and the decomposition of such a substance in the soil takes place over several months.
The introduction of organics for rhododendrons is preferable than drugs containing mineral fertilizers. Both organic and mineral fertilizers are applied to these shrubs in the form of solutions. Before making top dressing, flowers are abundantly watered.
When to carry out the last top dressing of rhododendrons
In the last decade of July, these shrubs are fed with fertilizers for the last time per season. Any nitrogen preparations are removed from the composition of complex fertilizer so that the rhododendrons do not grow in growth.
2 tablespoons of phosphate fertilizer and 1 tablespoon of any potassium salt are added to the ground. Such top dressing strengthens the shoots that have grown over the summer, which helps to increase the resistance of the plant before the cold.
After introducing fertilizers, the trunk circle around the shrubs is mulched on the baked needles of pines.