Starting from spring and throughout the summer, various shrubs adorn the gardens with lush greenery and beautiful flowers. One of these plants is yellow rhododendron, which is popular among gardeners. The article is devoted to planting, growing and further care for this crop.

Botanical description of the species

Rhododendron is a botanical genus belonging to the Vereskov family. Its varieties look like deciduous shrubs, sometimes trees. They come from the warm, mountainous regions of Europe, Asia and North America. The development of plants is rather slow; they reach their normal size after about 10–20 years of vegetation. Since the culture is widespread on the Black Sea coast, the plant is sometimes called Pontic azalea.

Did you know? Rhododendron is the national symbol of Nepal. The country has more than 30 varieties with flowers of various colors and sizes.

Best suited for cultivation in a marine climate with evenly distributed average annual rainfall. Shrub does not like too high or low temperatures. Most species are evergreens ornamental plants, very beautiful during the flowering period, in spring and summer.

It forms flowers in the form of a wide gramophone with a diameter of 2–6 cm. Usually they are collected in groups of 7–16 pieces. Petals are painted in various shades of yellow, orange, pink, red, purple and peach. The leaves of the shrub are oblong, leathery and have a smooth edge. Their size can be from 2 to 10 cm, depending on the variety.

Popular varieties of yellow rhododendron

In the world there are a large number of different varieties of this culture. Rhododendrons with yellow inflorescences are popular among gardeners, due to the bright combination of color of leaves and petals, as well as the long, continuous formation of new buds and a lush crown shape. Since the winter climate in most of Russia is quite severe, varieties with medium or high resistance to cold are mainly planted in the country. Naturally, without additional shelter, the bush can grow only in the southern regions: in Krasnodar, the Crimea or the Caucasus.

Oxidol

The shrub has a dense crown growing up to about 1.4 m in diameter. The ten-year-old plant reaches a height of 1.2 m. In the summer, its leaves are dark green, but gradually turn red in the fall. Oxidol flowers are pure white with a small yellow spot on one of the petals, their diameter is 6-8 cm, the edges of the petals curl slightly. During the opening of buds nearby there is a pleasant fragrant aroma.

Did you know? Translated from Greek, "rhododendron" means "rosewood."

Flowering begins in the second and third decades of May and lasts a long time. Oxydol requires an acidic soil rich in humus. Prefers partial shade arrangement. Differs in high frost resistance.

Glowing Ambers

Tall, slowly growing shrubs, often reaching 1.8–2 m. The diameter of its asymmetric funnel-shaped crown is from 100 to 120 cm. Elongated large leaves (10 cm long, 5 cm wide), dark green color with shine. In autumn, they are consistently painted in yellow, orange and red shades. Flowers are collected in groups of 6–12 buds, opening in May or early June.

Their bright orange petals give off a pleasant smell. In order for the variety to lay fruit buds for the next season, it is recommended to prevent the formation of seeds. Glowing Embers has an average winter hardiness. Under the condition of winter shelter, without damage it undergoes a lowered temperature to -25 ° C. It requires good lighting, but can fully develop in a small shadow.

Sante Nectarine

This variety has excellent resistance to frost (maximum up to -30 ° C). It has a wide crown, prone to rapid growth of branches after pruning. The flowers are shaped in the form of wide bells, with a diameter of up to 6 cm.

Did you know? Rhododendron contains dangerous substances that are present in all parts of the plant, including flowers and nectar, so only two leaves that enter the human stomach can cause serious poisoning. Clinical signs: vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, weakness, depression, cardiac arrhythmia, hypotension, shock, cardiac arrest, pulmonary edema, shortness of breath, lethargy, convulsions and death.

Petals are bright yellow, each has an orange fragment that does not lose saturation under the influence of sunlight. Buds of 7-15 pieces, collected in bunches. The green oblong leaves of Sunte Nectarine change color by the end of summer, passing the entire palette of shades from yellow to red.

Silfides

Sylphides variety was bred in the 19th century by English breeders. It can be attributed to the most frost-resistant representatives of the culture, withstanding sub-zero temperatures of -32 ° C. Plant height ranges from 120 cm to 200 cm, depending on the region of cultivation and care. The bush is lush, with a rounded crown, in the initial stage of unfolding, the leaves are painted in a burgundy shade, acquiring a normal size, they turn green.

Silfides can be grown both in well-lit areas and in a small shade. Funnel-shaped flowers are composed of rich yellow petals. They grow in tight groups of 8-14 buds, bloom in late May or early June, have absolutely no flavor.

Planting and caring for a yellow rhododendron

ABOUTThe optimal time for planting rhododendron is the beginning of spring. Planting can also be done in late summer or early fall. Before you begin, you need to choose the right place and stock up on suitable soil. It is important to properly prepare the landing pit and place a seedling in it.

Seat selection

Rhododendron loves a sunny position, but slightly shaded. This means that it cannot be planted in complete shade, since there is a risk of stopping the formation of flower buds. It is recommended to place the crop under large trees or tall bushes, avoiding direct sunlight.

Important! It is not recommended to use surface peat for planting rhododendron, since it has a fibrous structure, consists of poorly decomposed organics, and contains very few useful minerals. It can be used as a component of the substrate in combination with other components: pine bark, fine sawdust, perlite, compost.

The gardener needs to be careful because there are varieties that prefer to grow in the sun. It is advisable to carefully read the recommendations from the nursery first and follow them exactly.

Soil preparation and seedling

Another extremely important issue is the selection of a suitable environment. The soil for rhododendron should have an acid reaction (pH 3.5–5.5). This is a prerequisite for abundant flowering, as well as the normal development of roots and aerial parts. If the seedling grows in barren, alkaline or clay soil, it should be transplanted. After 3-4 years, you need to make fertilizers that increase the acidity of the soil.

It is recommended that the gardener conduct a soil test before moving the bush. In the ground where the plant will be planted, they dig a hole 45 cm deep and fill it with water. If it is absorbed after an hour, the soil is completely hygroscopic and suitable for use.

In the case when the site is full of sand, mixing with wet peat or leaf compost is required as a preparation for planting. You can use oak or beech leaves. The finished substrate will consist of sandy soil and organic matter in a ratio of 1: 2 or 1: 3.

Before moving to a new place, you need to loosen the root ball of the seedling and soak it for half an hour in water. If these actions are neglected, then in the process of adaptation the plant may die. Excessive deepening leads to the fact that stagnation of water occurs in the root area, resulting in a center of decay. Roots that are not loosened before planting contribute to the fact that they will grow inside the soil coma, and not spread freely outside.

Landing process

Correctly plant rhododendrons not too deep, leaving their roots naked at a height of 2-3 cm above the ground.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. Since the culture has a shallow, but well-branched root system, for the seedling it is necessary to prepare a volumetric pit up to 50 cm deep. Its width should be 20 cm wider than the root coma.
2. Coarse gravel drainage is laid at the bottom of the recess, on top of which a peat substrate is poured, mixed with sand and good compost, for example, deciduous. But the ready-made soil for azaleas, purchased in the garden center, is also well suited.
3. In the center of the recess, a seedling is vertically mounted, and holding it with one hand at the top, the gardener carefully covers the roots with a loose substrate.
4. When the pit is almost completely filled with soil, the root system of the plant is well moistened by pouring at least 10 liters of water under the root. After this, the soil will settle significantly, and its amount will need to be replenished.
5. The soil around the planted rhododendron is well compacted, trampling the soles of shoes. At the same time, a small depression in the form of a bowl is created around the trunk. During subsequent watering, it will help retain moisture at the roots of the plant.

Video: Rhododendron landing

Watering and fertilizer

It is worth remembering that in winter rhododendrons do not fall asleep, like other plants, but constantly collect water from the ground. When they cannot absorb it, the leaves begin to curl, turn brown and fade. If the street air is warm and the snow has melted, the shrub should already begin to be watered. It is desirable that the irrigation water has the same temperature as air. Without water, this culture becomes weak and susceptible to disease.

To avoid mistakes, it is best for the garden owner to use special fertilizer for rhododendrons or heather (for acidophilus plants). The procedure is carried out twice in the warm season. The first period of fertilization for culture is April, followed by June and July.

Spring nutrition will contain a large amount of nitrogen, making the bush grow faster. You can also use mulching of the root zone with compost, which will gradually decompose, enriching the soil. Phosphorus-rich summer dressing allows flower buds to form next year.

Pruning

Pruning rhododendrons is a procedure that allows you to maintain a healthy, densely branched shrub with lots of leaves, flowers and a compact crown of the correct form. The culture is prone to over-extension of additional branches, therefore, needs a regular haircut.

During the year, several types of trimming of rhododendron are carried out:

1. Sanitary - at the end of the bud opening period, in the second half of summer. During the procedure, dried flowers and dead, dry shoots are removed. Thanks to this, the bush will have the opportunity for further growth and production of new lateral processes.
2. Formative - The best time to carry out the work will be the end of winter, after the threat of severe frosts has passed. In the process, extra processes are shortened or completely removed. The cut of the upper kidney starts the production of numerous new lateral shoots, after which the crown is compacted.
3. Anti-aging - A radical procedure, which includes the complete cutting off of all old branches. It is necessary when the bush is poorly developed, damaged or has an ugly shape. In order not to weaken the plant excessively, the event is carried out in two stages: half of the bush is cut in the spring, the rest - next year. The shoots are pruned low (20–40 cm from the ground), resulting in waking up sleeping buds, which leads to violent branching. After trimming, rhododendron requires additional care, including regular watering and top dressing. A rejuvenating section should be performed in late winter or early spring, after the cessation of frost.1 - pruning in the first year, 2 - pruning in the second year.

Shelter for the winter

Many problems with rhododendrons are also associated with improper winter care. In the first year after planting, plants require special attention of the gardener. It should be remembered that they do not like the frosty climate, and the small root system can freeze. Given this, at the stage of purchase it is worth choosing varieties that tolerate large temperature differences without damage. There are varieties that normally winter in very low air temperatures (-25 ...- 32 ° C).

If more tender plants grow in the garden or there is no confidence in their resistance to cold weather, rhododendron must be sheltered for the winter. It is best to use special mats (from straw or reeds), or non-woven materials (spunbond, agrofiber).

Depending on the condition of the shrub, with the advent of spring, the gardener should carry out various restoration procedures. If the soil at the trunk smells of mushrooms, or mold can be seen on the branches, it is recommended to use fungicide: spray the medicine on the surface of the shoots and pour the solution under the root. As a prophylaxis, plants in the neighborhood are subjected to the same procedure.

Breeding methods

There are several ways to propagate your favorite rhododendron variety. For this, the gardener needs to have a uterine bush at his disposal. With it, he can get cuttings, material for vaccination, seeds or horizontal branches for rooting. Each of these methods allows you to grow an independent plant after a while.

Cuttings

Propagation by cuttings can be carried out in several ways: annual branches or semi-lignified shoots.

Did you know? One of the varieties of large-leaf rhododendron is considered a symbol of Washington.

Rooting of annual cuttings:

1. Reproduction by this technique is recommended in early summer.
2. You should choose a one-year apical process with a length of about 10-15 cm and a diameter of 0.5 cm. 3-5 leaves are left on it, removing the rest. The tops of the twigs are removed and the damage site is treated with garden var. The lower part of the slices is dipped in a mixture of root and fungicide.
3. Seedlings in the mother plant are best planted in warm weather, at +18 ... + 21 ° C.
4. Direct sunlight should not fall on the planted cuttings, for this they are obscured by a special foil or white agrofiber.
5. The nursery should be abundantly watered and ensure that the moisture content of the crop is constantly in the region of 90%.
6. Rooting of rhododendrons with annual shoots lasts about 3 months. After this time, rooted cuttings should be transplanted into a pot with a volume of at least 10 cm.

When difficulties arise when trying to remove a young bush from a planting tank, it means that it has sufficiently strong roots and the plant is ready for transplanting. If this is not the case, the gardener needs to wait another 2-3 weeks and transplant them into the ground in the fall.

Rooting by old shoots:

1. Lignified branches begin to root in the period from mid-August to early October.
2. To do this, choose the apical process 10-15 cm long and 50 mm in diameter. 3-5 leaves are left on it, and all the others are plucked. The tops of the cuttings are treated with garden ointment to protect against the penetration of bacteria and viruses. The lower part of the shoots is cut obliquely at an angle of 45 degrees and the tips are processed sequentially in Kornevin and fungicide.
3. Seedlings are planted in a moist substrate, heated to +18 ... + 21 ° C. To prevent moisture from evaporating, the greenhouse is covered with glass or foil.
4. As soon as new leaves develop on young plants, you can begin to feed them.
5. After 85–95 days, rooted segments of branches should be transplanted into separate containers with a diameter of at least 10–12 cm. From the pots, they can be moved to a permanent place at about the age of two years.

Propagation by root shoots

Rooting horizontal shoots is the safest and most reliable method for a given crop. It consists in bending a growing branch to the ground and fixing (with a brick, board, metal stud) in a pit 10-15 cm deep, filled with acid peat. Next, the layering layer is covered with soil, and watered abundantly. To speed up the formation of roots, the bark is pre-cut with a knife in several places and covered with “Kornevin”. You can add a hydrogel and a small amount of mycorrhizal vaccine to the planting pit. A layer of mulch is poured over the landing site.

Important! For horizontal rooting of rhododendrons, it is better to use young green shoots or semi-lignified branches. Varieties with small inflorescences take root most painlessly.

Rooting of rhododendrons in this way takes about 2 years, after which a branch that is well overgrown with roots is cut off with a secateurs from the mother bush and planted separately.

Vaccination propagation

Another method of breeding rhododendrons is vaccination. The procedure is carried out in the spring. To do this, the mother bush should begin to grow early, for which it is moved to a warm room with a temperature of +10 ... + 15 ° C at the turn of February and March. From the soil they dig a shoot of wild growth that does not have a fruiting bud, after which it is stored for a month at a temperature of + 4 ° С.

Then, a U-shaped cut is made on it with a sharp blade in the place of the cortex located 5 cm above the ground. The exact same notch, but in the opposite direction, is made on a handle taken from the mother plant, after which the damage zones are combined and fixed in this position. They should be in close contact with each other. Next, the junction is lubricated with garden var and a bandage is applied. The shrub is in this form for 1.5–2 months, after which the gardener needs to check whether the vaccine has taken root. If everything is in order, the winding is removed.

1 - stock; 2 - stock, trimmed to the required height; 3 - scion prepared for vaccination; 4 - grafted rhododendron .;

From seed

Experienced gardeners argue that it is easier to propagate a culture in less labor-intensive ways: root shoots, grafting and rooting of cuttings. If, nevertheless, it was decided to apply this method of reproduction, then for this it is necessary to collect seeds in the autumn, formed on the site of dried flowers. Their maturity is indicated by brown color and cracking. Sowing is carried out in a film greenhouse in February or March.

Important! A new rhododendron can be obtained from seeds, but the gardener will have to be patient. A shrub grown in this way will not bloom soon, and will not exactly reproduce the parental characteristics.

The soil used for sowing should have a composition suitable for acidophilic and heather plants. It must first be mixed with sand in a ratio of 1: 1. After sowing, you need to ensure that the soil does not dry out and regularly moisten it from the spray gun. A month after seedlings, seedlings dive into the earth, rich in humus. After about 2 years, the bushes can be planted in a permanent place, but they will throw the first buds no earlier than after 5 years.

Diseases and Pests

The culture is often affected by fungal diseases. Symptoms of pathogens are: mold, single gray and brown spots and strokes, clusters of darkened areas on leaves and branches. Infection is promoted by high humidity, excessive plant density and high air temperature (above + 20 ° C).

To prevent the development of spores, watering should be carried out only under the root, but in no case by sprinkling. The soil should be moderately moist, not wet. Detected infected shoots must be cut off at the base and burned, then spray the diseased bush and its immediate surroundings with preparations containing fungicides (Fungaflor, Nimrod, Falcon).

The most common pest of rhododendrons is considered to be aphids. It is located on the tender young shoots, and sucks the juice and cells from the tissues. You can try to remove them from the bush, rinse with water from a hose under pressure or remove manually, using a sponge and laundry soap.

It is also possible to conduct leaf treatment with nettle infusion or allow the prickly neighbor to grow next to decorative shrubs to scare off parasites. If environmental methods do not work or there are too many pests, it is worth using insecticide spraying.

Caring for rhododendrons is quite complicated, especially for beginner gardeners. Plants are very demanding, so knowing the preferences of the species will be the key to success for the owner of the flowerbed. Long and elegant flowering of the bush will annually adorn the garden for several decades.