SHRUBS > CAMELLIA > FEEDING

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CAMELLIA GUIDES

yellow stamens at the centre of pinky-red camellia flowers growing from the green-leaved shrub

Container GrowingDeadheadingFeedingProblems – Buds Falling Off – Brown LeavesPruningSoil RequirementsSowingVarieties – Common Camellia – Red VarietiesWinter Care

Camellia can be comparatively easy to care for , but thing can go wrong , so it is important to carefully consider where you grow and how you lean to it to obviate the most common booby trap .

Some of the mistakes often made when produce camelia revolve around lachrymation and feeding .

crimson red camellia flower and dark green foliage covered in water droplets

get these two things proper is crucial for growing healthy and well-chosen industrial plant , as I excuse below .

Watering

When water camelia , you require to remember that they like gratis - drain conditions .

Do not overwater and always make certain that extra water can run out away freely .

Another fundamental affair to bear in mind is that you need to keep the conditions acidulent , as camelia prefer a pH somewhere between 5 - 6.5 .

a single pink camellia flower covered in water droplets

For this grounds , you should water with rainwater wherever possible , especially if you have difficult urine where you experience , as tap water can be far too alkaline in some areas .

Camellias will typically need to be watered more often when grow in containers than when grown in the ground .

You should irrigate deeply whenever the top few centimetre of the grow medium experience dry .

camellia shrub with many flowers in blossom

Plants growing in the ground will also take to be water well during the full point of establishment , specially for the first 18 months or so and during peculiarly ironical piece in summertime .

“ camelia should be kept well - watered in August and September , as this can help to prevent bud drop in the saltation ” , explains Patricia Short from the International Camellia Society .

Well - established and larger shrubs will typically require less watering and give care in world-wide .

bell-shaped camellia flower with its red petals starting to open

When lachrymation , it is crucial to seek to water the soil below the plant life and not the plant themselves .

This not only check that water commence to where it is needed but also help oneself to reduce the chances of a fungal infection .

A mulch on top of the soil can also help preclude fungal spores from being splashed up onto the leaves .

Feeding

In the early spring , feed your camellias with an ericaceous organic fertilizer and add a mulch around your plants .

A mulch of pine needles , cone-bearing barque or other similar materials can be ideal .

“ Feed the soil , not the plant , is a good byword to follow , ” say Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly .

“ The mulch breaks down fertilize the Camellia slow over time , whilst also increasing moisture and reduce evaporation .

“ Remember to use an acidifying mulch : pine wood chip mulch is my ericaceous mulch of option . ”

you’re able to also consider using an constitutive liquid plant provender , though this is unremarkably only required when growing camellias in container .

Less is more when it come to fertilising camellias and it is more authoritative to control a fecund growing medium than to fertilise to boot through the growing time of year .

To maintain fecundity in the growing medium , check that you top get dressed the containers and repot into a new develop medium every 2 - 3 class .

When using an organic melted fertiliser , it is crucial not to exaggerate it , making sure that you always turn back fertilising a camelia before the end of July .

feed later on in summertime and into autumncan cause buds to send away from the plantthe following year .