skip to main content

Ask The Yard Doctor Virginia Gardening Azalea & Rhododendron

help!! What is wrong with my rhododendron?

2 years ago

Hi all, My husband and I just planted two new rhododendrons in a new garden about a month and a half ago. one of them is thriving, the other looks like this (pic attached). we have watered it the same, it is in the same soil, (they are right next to each other) and they get the same amount of sun. Any ideas?? We've looked around the bush and can't see any bugs on it at all, but sprayed it with Seven just to be sure.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
2 years ago
It's not bugs so stop spraying!! Looks to be a water issue - too much or not enough. It can be hard to judge with newly planted shrubs and there is also a strong possibility that the rootball was dry when planted and is now repelling rather than absorbing water. Excessive heat and too deep planting can also produce limp, curled foliage as well.

And the shrub would really appreciate removal of all the rocks and replacing them with an organic, wood based mulch. The rocks absorb too much heat and can cook and/or smother the very surface oriented root system.

Rhodies are woodland plants, rarely happy in full VA sun and want a cool, consistently moist (not wet) soil.
davidrt28 (zone 7)
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Looks to be a water issue - too much or not enough

Mostly likely this year, too much! This has been one of the most trying years for growing eh, 'mesoclimatic' plants in the Mid-Atlantic region...in my little corner at least. Even though the monthly rainfall figure look impressive - over 6" for each month MJJAS, we've had long, hot dry spells punctuated by tremendous downpours. I don't think I've gotten any rain this summer from a rainfall event of < 1.5 inches! And I've had several > 3" rain falls. This borders on the worst possible scenario for root rot sensitive plants, and some have bitten the dust. For me, fortunately, my established rhodies have been OK. But ca. 10 years ago I started planting all of them on slope or mounds, or moved them to slopes or mounds.

By the time root rot is causing visible symptoms like this, it's almost always too late.
Related Discussions
What is wrong with these rhododendrons?
Q
Comments (0)
My son was going to throw these away last year, so we dug them up and planted them here. They made it through winter, but branches are dying. I have more trouble with rhododendrons and azaleas. Should I spray them or just prune off the dead?
...See More
What is wrong with these rhododendrons?
Q
Comments (18)
Donna Roesink: I'm trying to find someplace where I wrote anything about 5-1-1 mix which is not, in any case, "mine". There is a vast number of references to it in the container forum and I believe, Al, aka Tapla is the originator. This is a fine mix for plants growing in containers because it provides excellent drainage and aeration, but is unnecessarily fussy and not well suited for plants growing in the ground. That's why I wrote that the peat and perlite were unnecessary in my second post above. If you placed the 5-1-1 mix in a hole, you may have created the very sump or bathtub effect davidrt28 mentioned above. Anyway, what's done is done. On the next one (or more) use just the bark and don't worry about screening it to a particular size. Lots of bark spread over the native soil and the rhododendrons planted in it rather than in a hole, as I suggested in the second post, is the best way I know to provide an acid, moisture retentive but fast draining medium. Again, there are lots of variables as davidrt28 points out. It's not too late to use pure bark. Spread it out a bit over the 5-1-1 and replant into it. Many years ago, I helped a friend and rhododendron dealer plant dwarf rhododendrons on pure granite ledge at a Maine summer cottage. Never more than 6" or so of bark placed directly on suitable areas of the ledge. Drip irrigation system, annual renewal of the mulch and the rhododendrons did just fine, although it has been many years since i last saw them. Your experience in digging out the first one is not untypical. Rhododendrons and azaleas produce flat, shallow root systems except in exceptionally sandy, gravelly or woodsy soil. The roots remain where there is maximum oxygen. Since you just recently moved these, I would not have expected much root extension. Keep them well watered - use just a trickle at he base of the plant - during dry spells this summer. Treat the azaleas in exactly the same way. Evergreen azaleas are tough plants, so these may regrow from the old wood. Too early in the year to know for sure. Don't use fertilizer unless a soil test indicates a need. Excess nitrogen can kill a rhododendron or azalea. It can also stimulate late soft growth that is easily killed in the winter. Find out the pH of your native soil if the foot or so of bark is not practical.
...See More
Help - what is wrong with my rhododendron?
Q
Comments (2)
Sometimes the rootball becomes so dry that it is very difficult to rewet it. Remove the plant from the pot and check. If the rootball is very dry, soak in water for 30 minutes or so, then replant. Misting the leaves can also help. The other, more ominous possibility is that too much water and/or less than ideal drainage in the pot has caused the roots to rot away. Unfortunately, there is very little that can be done if this is the case. A third possibility is that the roots were killed by low winter temperatures. Rhododendrons which would be perfectly hardy planted in the ground can be badly damaged or killed by the low temperatures experienced in an unprotected pot. There is no cure for this either.
...See More
Need help making my iris healthy - what is wrong with my iris?
Q
Comments (3)
Your irises look great! What I see is a little leaf spot.. Not a lot and not enough to worry about. Just take your clippers and cut back the fans that have the spots if you want to. . Leaf spot lives in the soil.. Hot wet humid conditions is what brings it on.. It will not hurt your irises it will just make them ugly.. The outer leaves also usually brown and die back this time of year as well.. You can treat with a fungicide but its not necessary.
...See More
davidrt28 (zone 7)
2 years ago
And 100% agree w/GG about the siting. Looks way too hot and dry especially with those rocks. Those might have retarded 02 exchange in the soil, further increasing the chances of the rhodie 'drowning' and root rot setting in. Rhodies need a natural mulch in our area, but not a heavy one.
HU-320244636 thanked davidrt28 (zone 7)
luis_pr
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
I would give them sun until 10-11am and replace the rocks with 2-4" of "wood based mulch". The root system of these guys is quite small, only on the top 4" so the soil can easily dry out and the rocks will radiate heat at night so the plants do not get respite from the summer sun at night. Water if the soil feels dry to a depth of 4". If the soil is moist or soggy when you want to water, skip watering and check again the following day. And use enough water to get the soil moist down to about 8" or so. Start watering from the base and move in a circle to get all sides moist.

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Rhododendron Canescens

By Falon Mihalic

Have a damp, shady spot in your garden that needs a lift? This Southern U.S. native may be the solution

LIFE You Said It: ‘Every Room Should Have the Right Wrong Thing’ and More

By Becky Harris

This week on Houzz we were inspired to break out of catalog styling ruts and let our design freak flags fly

REMODELING GUIDES Why Marble Might Be Wrong for Your Bathroom

By By Any Design Ltd.

You love its beauty and instant high-quality appeal, but bathroom marble has its drawbacks. Here's what to know before you buy

GARDENING GUIDES What's Wrong With My Plant? Leaves Often Hold the Clues

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Learn how to identify common plant ailments by reading their leaves

LIFE You Said It: ‘The Wrong Sink Can Make You Hate Your Kitchen’

By Becky Harris

Design advice, inspiration and observations that struck a chord this week

COLOR 8 Color Palettes You Can't Get Wrong

By Lisa Frederick

Can't decide on a color scheme? Choose one of these foolproof palettes for a room that feels both timeless and fresh

LIVING ROOMS A Living Room Miracle With $1,000 and a Little Help From Houzzers

By Mitchell Parker

Frustrated with competing focal points, Kimberlee Dray took her dilemma to the people and got her problem solved

PETS How to Help Your Dog Be a Good Neighbor

By Alison Hodgson

Good fences certainly help, but be sure to introduce your pup to the neighbors and check in from time to time

BATHROOM MAKEOVERS Room of the Day: See the Bathroom That Helped a House Sell in a Day

By Annie Thornton

Sophisticated but sensitive bathroom upgrades help a century-old house move fast on the market

LIFE Decluttering — How to Get the Help You Need

By Alison Hodgson

Don't worry if you can't shed stuff and organize alone; help is at your disposal

Sponsored

EK Interior Design

5 Reviews

TIMELESS INTERIOR DESIGN FOR ENDLESS MEMORIES

More Discussions

Are my newly viburnums dead or dying?

3

Can I recover the structure of this tree?

0

Cement or pavers- which is better?

9