Rhododendrons in the Urals: care and planting

A huge variety of decorative cultures allows flower growers to bring to life the most daring ideas for arranging their flower garden. At the same time, rhododendron can be found in the list of preferred plants of almost everyone. This decorative flower has a vibrant appearance and lush bloom. Some people mistakenly believe that this crop is not suitable for growing in the Ural climate, but this is a misconception. In fact, rhododendrons grow in the Urals no worse than anywhere else in another region, the main thing is to know the nuances of agricultural culture.

Rhododendron varieties for cultivation in the Urals

In total, there are about 800 species of rhododendrons. Only a few are acceptable for harsh climates.

Types of rhododendrons suitable for growing in the Urals:

• daurian. Habitat - Siberia, Primorsky Krai, China and Korea. Growing places - coniferous forests, rocks. Plant height up to 3 m. Small oblong oval green-brown leaves reach a length of 2 cm. The flowering period is about 20 days from the moment the foliage appears. Funnel-shaped flowers have a bright pinkish-purple hue;

Rhododendrons in the Urals: care and planting

• Ledebour. Habitat - areas of the subalpine belt and Altai. Growing places - coniferous forests and undergrowth. The height of the semi-evergreen shrub is about one and a half meters. The plant has dark, thin and ovoid or oval dark green leaves and purple-pink flowers. Flowering period May-June (about 30 days);
• Schlippenbach. Habitat - Korea, China, Primorye and Japan. The one and a half meter deciduous tree has medium-sized green leaves. Beautiful, large fragrant flowers are bell-shaped. Flowering begins at the end of spring.

The Ural climate is also suitable for the cultivation of other types of rhododendrons, the names of which are less known. Here is some of them:

• ketevbinsky;
• golden;
• Japanese;
• Canadian.

How to propagate a rhododendron

Rhododendron can be propagated by layering, seeds and cuttings.

Reproduction by layers of rhododendron in the Urals

This method assumes the following procedure:

1. Choose one of the shoots (easy to bend to the ground).
2. You need to dig in its middle by scratching the bark in advance in that part of the stem that will be underground (this is necessary for faster root formation).
3. Secure with a hairpin and water.
4. Next year, carefully separate and dig out the seedling.

Seed reproduction

This breeding method is considered the most difficult to implement. The algorithm of actions is as follows:

1. Purchase seeds from a specialized flower shop.
2. Prepare a container and substrate, which should include dry peat (3 parts) and fine sand (1 part). Pour the resulting mixture.
3. Sow the seed, sprinkle with sand (fine) and cover the container with a glass lid.
4. Place in a bright, warm room. Organize daily ventilation, condensed water cleaning and humidification.
5. You can expect the first shoots in 25-30 days. After the formation of the first leaves, the plants are transplanted into the greenhouse. The seedlings should be at least 2 cm apart.
6. Landing in open ground is done after two years.

Propagation by cuttings

Another breeding method is grafting. To implement it, you need:

1. In July, cut half-woody shoots into 10 cm cuttings. In the lower part, the cut should be oblique, in the upper part, leave a few leaves.
2. Process the prepared material with a growth stimulant. The procedure takes about 11-13 hours.
3. Place the cuttings (at an angle) in a sand-peat mixture, the temperature of which should be about 25 ° C.
4. Water and cover the pot with foil or glass. Make sure that the soil does not dry out and does not deteriorate from lack of air.
5. Roots will begin to form in 1.5-5 months (depending on the variety).
6. The cuttings will need to be transplanted into a container and grown in it.

How to plant a rhododendron outdoors

With proper planting and caring for a rhododendron in the open field, even in the Urals, a plant can become a long-liver. In one place, a flower can live up to 30 years. Some of the species are grown in volumetric containers and transferred indoors in winter.

Rhododendrons in the open field

In open ground, rhododendrons are planted in partial shade or in a place with variable lighting. A large amount of sunlight can contribute to the fading and tarnishing of flowers. Deciduous species require more sunlight than evergreens.

Site selection and soil requirements

The planting site should be chosen depending on the size of the plant, the lighting requirements of the variety, as well as on the neighboring crops. Rhododendron should not be planted near plants with shallow root systems.

You need to choose a soil with an acidic reaction. Ornamental shrubs should be planted in crop groups that have similar requirements for soil acidity. Coniferous corners are suitable for combining rhododendron with thuja, juniper and hosta. Disembarkation should be made at a distance of about one meter. To prevent stagnation, the bottom of the pit should be equipped with a drainage layer, the height of which should be at least 20 cm. Expanded clay or pebbles can be used as drainage.

Clay soil must be checked for drainage. If water stagnates during testing, a pipe should be laid at the landing site, which will drain excess moisture.

The composition of the soil mixture should include coniferous litter or high moor peat mixed with garden soil removed from a pit dug for planting. The seedling should be lowered into the recess in an upright position, the neck of the rhizome should be deepened. After planting, water the plant abundantly. When the soil settles, add more substrate so that the neck of the root is set slightly above ground level (up to 2 cm).

Sapling selection

The seedling must have a closed root system. There should be no damage on it. The presence of signs of disease and pest activity is also excluded.

Planting rhododendrons

Agrotechnics

Growing rhododendron is no more difficult than other crops. The only thing is that in winter the plant will need a cover for heating. For frost-resistant varieties, it will be enough to organize regular watering, feeding and protection from pests.

Loosening and mulching

Since the roots of rhododendrons are close to the top soil layer, it is recommended to avoid loosening. To combat various types of weeds, soil mulching is used, in which dry peat, needles or pine bark are used.

Watering and feeding

Since the acidic soil mixture dries up quickly, the flower needs to be watered on time. The soil should be moderately moist, there should be no stagnation.To increase the humidity of the air, the plant should sometimes be sprayed.

For watering, use soft warm water. To soften and acidify it a day before watering, you need to add high moor peat (a few handfuls) to the liquid.

Liquid fertilizers should be used as top dressing. Top dressing with complex mineral fertilizers is also encouraged. Manure and ash are not recommended for use.

How to prepare a shelter for winter

In winter, the root system of rhododendrons needs to be insulated. In light frosts (10 ° C), it is not necessary to put a shelter, since this can lead to rotting of the root collar, which is very undesirable. The optimal period for insulation is November. You can open the plant after complete thawing and a little warming up of the soil by the spring sun. This is best done in cloudy weather.

Shelter for winter

Diseases and pests

Caterpillars and slugs are usually treated by mechanical removal. If the plants suffer from the activity of aphids, scale insects, ticks and weevils, then insecticides should be used.

Most often, rhododendrons suffer from spotting or rot. In the first case, fungicides should be used. If the plant begins to rot, then it is usually destroyed.

If you choose the right variety and carefully look after the plant, then you can grow lush, beautiful home rhododendrons even in the cold Ural climate. Although agricultural technology has some features, in any case, subject to the rules, the shrub will be able to please the owners with abundant flowering.