Cadence, the composted bark mulch is good, just keep reapplying annually or as needed to keep a continuous supply. If you feel you can remove the growth buds now before bloom without injuring the flower bud, go ahead and snap them off. If you wish to wait until later in the spring when your plants begin to bloom that's fine too if thats easier for you. And I don't know why the leaf/growth buds begin to unfurl before bloom on some rhododendrons and not others! Sometimes those have developed on some plants that deadheading spent trusses is difficult without accidentally breaking off growth that is up and already in the way. Rolacoy, cadences definitions were good. But in her case we were discussing large leafed rhododendrons rather than azaleas. Dormant growth buds on rhododendrons are located in leaf axils only, where on your azaleas there are dormant buds all along the stems just under the bark....the pinching method isn't as effective on azaleas and would be considerably more time consuming when a snip of your pruners should cause azaleas stems to sprout from below any cut you make.

A healthy plant will normally fully recover if you do nothing except guard against drought. If it isn't mulched, mulch to conserve moisture, keep weeds down and reduce winter stress. It is important the deer don't defoliate it two years in a row. That could be fatal. A rhododendron will usually come back once, but since it is stessed it may not come back two years in a row. I would just get some deer netting like the product they have at Ace Hardware and cover it next winter to insure that you don't have a repeat performance. Remove the netting in the spring before the plant blooms. Then, since you have a fence, after one winter it should be OK unless the deer come back in the future.

Dear Morz8 and ericwi, thank you very much to both of you for your very useful replies, you have answered my questions perfectly. Good tip about leaving a handhold, thanks, I'll do that. The leafy branches have been removed, but we still need to tackle the stems and rootball. I thought that the tree's fallen leaves would have affected the soil's pH over the years, and of course it now makes sense that the soil would have been acidic in the first place, as the tree was doing well. Only other things growing in the garden at the moment are some conifer-type trees. With the tree's branches removed, I now have considerably more light in my room overlooking the site, and am starting to doubt whether I still want to plant a fruit tree there, which will create shade again. Although it seems that apples do like acidic soil, and it looks like one can get some nice 'heirloom' types here. I like the idea of the blueberries, and didn't realize that they like acidic soil (I'm new to northern hemisphere gardening, which is probably obvious). I suspect that all the soil is probably on the acidic side here, as there are rhododendrons everywhere. (also blueberries in the foresty bits, but the small bushes with single, not clustered berries - bilberries?). I read that you need 2 or 3 different types of blueberries for them to bear fruit. I'll have to go and have a chat with the local nursery. There's a lot to learn. I'm very keen on all types of edible plants, particularly indigenous ones, but very unsure of what survives in this climate (there are a lot of climate zones here, need to do some homework) oh yes, no chance of drought here - apparently Bergen has one of the highest rainfalls in the world! thanks again for your kind advice, I am relieved to know that removing the root ball shouldn't be too much of a problem, and that the soil is not 'damaged' in any way.

Yellowing and dropping of leaves is normal toward the end of the second summer on the small-leaved lepidote rhododendrons. These should have dense enough habit that this doesn't matter. The larger-leaved elepidote rhododendrons keep their leaves for 3 or 4 seasons. Like all evergreen plants, rhododendrons and azaleas periodically lose some of their foliage, and the leaves may turn yellow, red, or purple before they fall. Often the only leaves that remain are those that surround the flower buds at the tips of the branches. This characteristic is linked to the genetics of the parents used to breed garden azaleas. The degree of leaf coloration or loss is a function of parentage and not the severity of the winter. In unusually cold winters, certain azaleas may lose more leaves than they would in mild winters. Most diseases that harm rhododendrons cause the leaves to yellow, droop, curl, and eventually turn brown, but, oddly enough, they usually don't drop the leaves. Some things that can kill individual branches are: DROUGHT: Drought can cause entire branches or entire plants to die. We have had several years of drought here and we observe that if rhododendrons and azaleas are not watered during a drought some plants will die, but others will just have one section of the plant die. It seems to be the plants way to conserve what little moisture it has. Prolonged drought weakens plants and often results in the appearance of fungal cankers on the branches of older azaleas. Look for branches that wilt in hot, dry weather in late summer and be sure to water azaleas if drought drags on more than a few weeks. Prune out the affected branches to stop the spread of fungal canker diseases. BORERS: If a Rhododendron Stem Borer, Oberea myops, or Rhododendron Borer, Synanthedon rhododendri, is in a branch, the entire portions of a plant beyond (away from the roots) will wilt and die. Borers only affect the portion of the plant away from the roots from the borer. If the borer is in the main trunk, then the entire plant will wilt and die. The plant can be save by cutting off the area with the borer and letting the plant regenerate from the roots. There are no conventional insecticides that will kill stem borer larvae once they are inside the branches. The best control option for homeowners with only a few plants is to prune out and destroy wilting branches in early spring or late summer. FUNGUS: Buds and twigs becoming covered with silver-gray scales is caused by one of the water molds: Altenaria Blight or Botrytis Blight or Twig Blight and is easy to control with fungicide sprays and proper sanitation by removing and disposing of all dead material. Phytophthora cactorum causes the central vein of a leaf to turn brown and the discoloration extends to the petiole on tender new growth. The infections spreads outward from the midrib tissue and the leaf wilts. Infections are more severe on azaleas. Some varieties of rhododendrons are vulnerable (Chionoides, Catawbiense Album, Nova Zembla) and some are resistant (Roseum Elegans, Scintillation, PJM). Control of the disease is difficult. Since the infection goes from the roots to the tips, when you see the symptoms it is too late. To prevent it, use a raised bed with lots of sphagnum peat moss. Prevention with fungicides and careful control of exposure to high humidity may be practical. [Return to Problem Menu] Botryosphaeria dothidea causes leaves to turn dull green and then brown and roll and droop. Cankers form on branches which may girdle the branch. This is the most common disease of rhododendron in the landscape. A typical symptom of this fungal disease is scattered dying branches on an otherwise healthy plant. Leaves on infected stems turn brown, then droop and roll inward. These leaves often lay flat against the stem and will remain attached. The pathogen can infect all ages of stem tissue through wounds, pruning cuts, and leaf scars. Heat, drought stress, and winter injury can increase disease incidence. Cankers on branches can gradually grow through the wood until the stem becomes girdled. Diseased wood is reddish brown in appearance. Discolored wood viewed in longitudinal cross section often forms a wedge that points toward the center of the stem, and the pith may be darker brown than the surrounding wood. Sanitation and applying a fungicide such as metalaxyl (Subdue) after pruning my provide some control. Plants should be grown in partial shade, with mulch and kept well watered during dry periods. All dying branches should be promptly pruned out in dry weather and all discolored wood should be removed. Plants should also be protected from rough treatment during maintenance activities to prevent unnecessary wounds. [Return to Problem Menu] Phomopsis rhododendri symptoms vary from leaf spots to chlorosis and then browning of leaves which then wilt. Browning streaks extend down the stem to a wound. Fungicides such as metalaxyl (Subdue) should control an outbreak. Sanitation and applying a fungicide after pruning may provide control. [Return to Problem Menu] Rhizoctonia solani: causes small necrotic spots on leaves, which later become dark brown or black. Defoliation follows severe leaf spotting. The fungus is omnipresent in the soil and appears to be most virulent at high humidity levels. Microscopic examination of roots and crown are the surest diagnosis. Cultural practices to control this disease include improvement of drainage and avoidance of excess irrigation.