Rhododendrons in the Urals: care and planting, description of varieties and preparation for winter with a photo

Rhododendrons are distinguished by their unpretentiousness and beautiful appearance. Breeders have bred many varieties of this plant. There are also frost-resistant rhododendrons, for growing in the Urals, with the care and planting of which there are no difficulties. The only requirement that the plant makes is that the soil must be acidic. In slightly acidic or neutral soil, the survival rate of seedlings decreases.

Description, characteristics and features

Rhododendron is a lush shrub with a shallow root system. Most varieties of the plant are distinguished by erect stems. But in which shrubs the branches bend down to the soil.

Rhododendron leaves have a wide variety:

• sitting;
• with petioles;
• full-edge;
• regular;
• ovoid;
• pubescent and others.

18 species of rhododendrons grow in Russia. Only compact shrubs can grow in the Urals.

Allocate home and garden rhododendron (azalea). The flowers of the plant are bisexual, with a large corolla, the shade of which varies from yellow to purple.

Frost-resistant varieties

Due to the short summers and winters, during which the air temperature often drops below -30 degrees, only frost-resistant crops can grow in the Urals. Among rhododendrons, 10 species are distinguished that meet this requirement.

Peares American Beauty

Considered one of the best varieties of rhododendrons that can withstand prolonged frosts. The height of the shrub reaches 1.5 meters. The flowering of the plant begins in May and ends in June. The bush grows in acidic soil. Flowers vary in color from pink to golden red.

Calsap

The height of the shrub is 1.4 meters, the width of the crown is 1.3 meters. On the branches of Calsap, white flowers are formed with a faint pink tint. The shrub grows in acidic and loose soils.

Daurian

The maximum height of the Dahurian rhododendron, which prefers to grow in coniferous forests or on rocks, is 3 meters. Leaves up to two centimeters long change color from green to red during the season. The first pinkish-purple flowers appear in mid-spring.The leaves of this shrub do not fall in winter.

Ledebourg

Ledebour (maralnik) is a two-meter shrub with a compact crown. The plant retains leaves during the winter, which fall off in the spring, shortly before the flowers appear. The culture tolerates temperatures as low as -32 degrees.

Schlippenbach

The Schlippenbach variety is interesting in that white or pink flowers of a rich shade in the shape of a bell are formed on the shrub. Plant height does not exceed 1.6 meters.

Haaga

Finnish variety of Haaga rhododendrons with a branched and spherical crown and large flowers of a rich pink hue that appear in mid-July and fall off in July. Leaves with orange dots do not change color during the season.

Mauritz

Hybrid variety with a dense and well-branched crown, dark green leaves and cherry red flowers. The plant can withstand temperatures as low as -30 degrees.

Mikkeli

Another hybrid characterized by original shaped leaves and light pink flowers that open in June. The first strong buds appear on the shrub 2-3 years after planting. The height of the bush exceeds two meters.

Peter Tigerstedt

Hybrid cultivar bred in Finland with large funnel-shaped white flowers and an evergreen crown. The length of the branches of the shrub does not exceed two meters.

Date of planting

Due to the fact that frost-resistant rhododendrons mainly have an open root system, it is recommended to plant shrubs in early spring. In this case, it is necessary to choose areas where the scorching sun does not penetrate. Plant varieties with a closed root system can be planted from April to October.

Site selection and soil requirements

Rhododendrons thrive well in shady places where oblique rays of sunlight penetrate. The optimal area is considered to be on the north side of the site, located near the house or next to tall trees. Also, a place near water bodies is suitable for landing, as the culture loves moist air.

Rhododendrons can only grow in acidic and loose soil. Therefore, before planting in the ground, you will need to add peat with coniferous needles or another substrate that will create optimal conditions for the development of shrubs.

How to choose the right seedling?

To avoid problems in the future, it is recommended to purchase seedlings in specialized stores. Before buying, you need to examine the bush, paying attention to the presence of visible damage and insects. A plant with a closed root system should be purchased.

Pit preparation and planting pattern

Before planting, it is recommended to soak the roots of the seedling for a day in water. For a rhododendron, you will need to dig a hole 60 centimeters wide and up to 40 centimeters deep. If necessary, the dimensions of the hole can be increased. Then the hole should be filled with peat mixed with pine needles and re-dug. This mixture is then used to bury the root system.

After that, a drainage layer is laid out at the bottom of the pit and a seedling is placed. At the end, the root system is dug in so that the neck remains at ground level. At the end of the manipulations, the seedling should be watered abundantly and mulched. If several rhododendrons are planted on the site at the same time, then a distance of 0.7 meters should be maintained between undersized species, and 2 meters between tall species.

Care

When growing rhododendrons in the Urals, you will need to follow the rules applicable to plants that are planted in other climatic conditions. The only difference is that the bushes require the installation of a reliable shelter for the winter.

Irrigation

Rhododendrons require regular and abundant watering. Every week, under an adult shrub, you need to make up to two liters of clean water. During the growing season, when buds form on the branches, it is recommended to increase the frequency of watering. During the warm season, it is also necessary to periodically spray the bushes with a spray bottle. For irrigation, use rainwater or settled water with a low calcium content, which, with frequent treatment of the plant, accumulates near the root system.

Feeding

Feeding rhododendrons is recommended, in accordance with the following scheme:

1. First dressing - in the spring. At this time, complex fertilizers containing nitrogen should be applied under the shrub.
2. Second dressing - after the flowers have fallen off (the period depends on the variety). At this time, superphosphates or ammonium are added under the bush. Specialized fertilizers designed for rhododendrons are also suitable.
3. End of summer-beginning of autumn. During this period, the plant is not fed, since the application of fertilizers provokes the development of shoots, which can lead to the death of the shrub after the onset of cold weather.

If the seedling is planted in the fall, then the first dressing is recommended to be applied in the spring. For 2-3 years it is necessary to remove the top layer of soil and add a mixture of peat and mullein.

Cutting

Rhododendrons are distinguished by a crown of the correct shape. Therefore, gardeners mainly prune young plants, removing shoots near the central bud. Such pinching helps the shrub to form the correct crown. It is necessary to remove branches in cases where the thickness of the shoot exceeds 24 centimeters or signs of the disease are detected. After pinching, the cut must be treated with oil paint.

Loosening and mulching

The root system of rhododendrons lies close to the soil surface. Therefore, gardeners avoid loosening shrubs. In the fight against weeds, soil mulching, carried out using dry peat, needles or pine bark, helps.

Protection from diseases and pests

When caterpillars or slugs appear on the surface of the leaves, these pests are removed mechanically. Insecticides help in the fight against aphids, scale insects, mites and weevil.

Common diseases of rhododendrons include rust (spotting) and rot. Fungicides are used to treat the first. A shrub affected by rot is destroyed. In order to prevent infection, it is recommended to adhere to the irrigation regime.

Preparing for winter

Preparation for winter begins shortly before the cold weather. It is not recommended to carry out this procedure in advance.

Irrigation

During the last watering, it is necessary to moisten the soil abundantly, without applying top dressing.

Mulching

After the last watering, the root zone is mulched with a mixture of peat and spruce branches. Also, fallen leaves are used for this.

Preparing the shelter

You can cover the shrub from the wind with plastic wrap or straw. Before organizing protection, it is necessary to gather together and attach branches to the ground. After that, the shoots must be closed with the selected material.

Reproduction

Rhododendrons are propagated by seeds, layering and cuttings. Growers are more likely to use the latter option.

Seeds

This breeding option is considered the most time-consuming. To grow a new shrub, you will need to plant the seeds in a pot with a mixture of peat and sand, taken in a 3: 1 ratio. The soil is pre-moistened. Seeds are sown on the surface of the soil mixture and covered with sand. To accelerate the growth of planting material, it is necessary to cover the pot with a film, which should be removed daily for several minutes. You can transplant a plant into open ground after the appearance of three or more leaves.

By cuttings

To propagate a bush, you will need to cut a 10 cm long lignified shoot from the parent rhododendron in the spring. Then the branches are removed from the bottom of the cutting. The seedling will go crazy for a day in a solution that accelerates the growth of roots. The next day, the cutting is planted in a pot with a mixture of peat and sand and covered with a jar.

Toward autumn, the bush is transplanted into a wider container. Then the ground under the handle is mulched with peat and needles. During the winter, the container with the plant should be kept in a cool and dark room. After the onset of spring, the sprouted bush is transplanted into open ground.

Layers

In the spring, after the snow has melted, the lower branches of the shrub should be attached to the ground, making a small incision at the point of contact with the ground, fixed with a hairpin and covered with peat. A year later, the cutting is separated from the mother bush and transplanted.

Reviews

Antonina, Chelyabinsk

“I have been growing rhododendrons for several years now. The first seedlings died due to the fact that the soil did not meet the requirements for acidity. Now there are four shrubs growing on the site. Plant care is not difficult. The only difficulty is to collect a dense crown to make a shelter.”

Vladimir, Magnitogorsk

“Tried to plant several varieties on the plot, but only Mikkeli took root. In the two years that this shrub has been growing, it has never encountered diseases. Slugs have to be removed periodically. Also, for prevention, I treat the bush with fungicides and apply specialized top dressing. They plan to plant another variety in the future.”

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