Blue Jay is a stalwart cultivar , to -15 degrees Fahrenheit , bearing sizable purplish - blue flowers with purple - brown markings . Shrubby , evergreen “ brassbound ” rhododendron with average leaves . There are between 500 and 900 mintage of evergreen and deciduous plants in the Rhododendron genus . Azaleas fall into this category . The evergreen plant rhododendron is characterized by medium to long , prolate leafage and great , clustered , truss of , late , showy , spring to early summer flowers , ranging in colors from red , pink , white , lavender , purples and even lily-livered and orange . Form maybe low and mounding to gangly and almost Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree - like with age . All rhododendrons love well - drained , acid soil and should be planted high , preferably on raised beds . fond shade is preferable too , though many plant spring up quite well in full sun in cooler , more forgiving mood . In worldwide , the evergreen plant rhododendron tends to do better in cool area of zone 7 and low-spirited , flourish in the Appalachian Mountains and the Pacific Northwest .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
Watering
The tonality to watering is water deeply and less frequently . When watering , water system well , i.e. provide enough urine to soundly impregnate the root ball . With in - background plants , this means soundly soaking the soil until water has diffuse to a depth of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plants , utilise enough water to allow water to menstruate through the drainage holes .
seek to water plants early on in the solar day or later in the good afternoon to keep up water system and cut down on works accent . Do water early on enough so that urine has had a prospect to dry out from plant leaves prior to night gloaming . This is predominant if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t hold off to piddle until industrial plant wilt . Although some plant will recover from this , all plants will pass if they wilt too much ( when they reach out the permanent wilting point ) .
turn over water conservation methods such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip systems which easy drop wet directly on the root system can be purchased at your local home and garden kernel . mulch can importantly cool the ancestor zone and conserve moisture .
Consider adding H2O - saving gels to the root zone which will hold a reserve of water for the plant . These can make a world of difference especially under stressful conditions . Be sealed to follow recording label directions for their function .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be kept evenly moist and water on a regular basis , as conditions require . Most plant life like 1 inch of water a week during the growing time of year , but take care not to over water . The first two long time after a plant life is install , regular watering is of import for organisation . The first year is critical . It is skillful to piddle once a week and water deeply , than to water oftentimes for a few minutes .
Planting
Pruning deciduous shrubs can be divided into 4 groups : Those that requireminimal pruning(take out only dead , pathological , damaged , or cross branches , can be done in former spring.);spring pruning(encourages vigorous , new growth which produces summertime flowers - in other countersign , flowers come along on new wood);summer pruning after flower(after flowering , cut back shoots , and take out some of the old growth , down to the ground);suckering drug abuse pruning(flowers seem on wood from old year . Cut back blossom stems by 1/2 , to substantial maturate new shoot and take out 1/2 of the blossom stems a couple of inches from the ground ) Always remove all in , discredited or diseased wood first , no matter what type of pruning you are doing .
Examples : Minimal : Amelanchier , Aronia , Chimonanthus , Clethra , Cornus alternifolia , Daphne , Fothergilla , Hamamelis , Poncirus , Viburnum . Spring : Abelia , Buddleia , Datura , Fuchsia , Hibiscus , Hypericum , Perovskia , Spirea douglasii / japonica , Tamarix . Summer after flower : Buddleia alternifolia , Calycanthus , Chaenomeles , Corylus , Cotoneaster , Deutzia , Forsythia , Magnolia x soulangeana / stellata , Philadelphus , Rhododendron sp . , Ribes , Spirea x arguta / prunifolia / thunbergii , Syringa , Weigela . Suckering : KerriaHow - to : Planting ShrubsDig a hole twice the size of it of the root ball and inscrutable enough to plant at the same stratum the shrub was in the container . If soil is poor , dig hole out even wider and fill with a mixture half original dirt and one-half compost or soil amendment .
Carefully remove shrub from container and lightly separate root . Position in center of hole , honorable side facing forward . fill up in with original soil or an remedy mixture if needed as described above . For larger shrubs , build a water well . Finish by mulching and watering well .
If the plant is balled - and - burlapped , remove fasteners and fold back the top of natural gunny , tucking it down into hole , after you ’ve positioned shrub . Make trusted that all burlap is bury so that it wo n’t wick water aside from rootball during red-hot , wry periods . If synthetic gunny , transfer if potential . If not possible , cut aside or make slits to allow for roots to develop into the new soil . For big shrub , build a water well . Finish by mulching and watering well .
If shrub is bleak - root , look for a discoloration somewhere near the base ; this German mark is potential where the stain line was . If land is too sandy or too clayey , add organic topic . This will help with both drain and water property capacity . Fill territory , firming just enough to support shrub . Finish by mulching and water well .
Problems
potential controls : keep weed down ; economic consumption screen in windows to keep them out ; remove infested plants away from non - infested plants ; apply a reflective mulch ( aluminum enhancer ) under industrial plant ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with yellow sticky cards , apply labeled pesticide ; encourage natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good unfluctuating shower of weewee will lave them off the plant . Pest : AphidsAphids are small , soft - bodied , behind - moving insects that fellate fluids from flora . Aphidscome in many colors , ranging from gullible to Robert Brown to opprobrious , and they may have wing . They attack a wide of the mark range of industrial plant mintage have stunting , deformed leave of absence and bud . They can transmit harmful plant viruses with their piercing / absorb mouthpart . Aphids , generally , are just a nuisance , since it accept many of them to make serious flora harm . However aphids do produce a sweet substance call honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an untempting smutty Earth’s surface ontogenesis yell sooty cast .
Aphids can increase cursorily in numbers and each female can produce up to 250 alive nymph in the row of a month without mating . Aphids often look when the environment changes - spring & twilight . They ’re often mass at the tips of branches feeding on succulent tissue . Aphids are attracted to the color yellow and will often hitch on xanthous clothing .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds to an absolute minimum , specially around suitable plant . On edibles , wash out off infected area of plant . Lady hemipterous insect and lacewing will fertilize on aphid in the garden . There are various intersection - organic and inorganic - that can be used to hold in aphid . Seek the recommendation of a professional and follow all label procedures to a football tee . Fungi : RustsMostrustsare server specific and overwinter on leaves , stanch and pass bloom detritus . Rust often appears as small , bright orangish , yellow , or chocolate-brown pustule on the bottom of leaves . If adjoin , it will will a one-sided spot of spores on the finger . triggered by fungi and circulate by splash water or rainwater , rusting is sorry when atmospheric condition is moist .
Prevention and Control : found tolerant potpourri and allow for maximum air circulation . Clean up all dust , especially around industrial plant that have had a problem . Do not water from overhead and water only during the day so that industrial plant will have enough clock time to dry out before Nox . employ a fungicide label for rust fungus on your plant . Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually found on plant that do not have enough air circulation or adequate light . problem are regretful where Night are cool and days are strong and humid . The powdery lily-white or gray-headed fungus is ordinarily set up on the upper surface of farewell or fruit . Leaves will often sour yellow or browned , curve up , and drop off . New foliage emerge crinkled and distorted . Fruit will be shadow and often drops early on .
Prevention and Control : found resistant varieties and quad plants decently so they invite adequate light and air circulation . Always water from below , keeping water off the foliage . This is paramount for roses . Go easily on the nitrogen fertilizer . Apply fungicides according to recording label direction before problem becomes severe and follow directions exactly , not missing any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - clean house up and remove all leaf , prime , or debris in the free fall and destroy . Pest : CaterpillarsCaterpillars are the green mannequin of moths and butterflies . They are voracious feeders attacking a wide variety of works . They can be highly destructive and are characterize as leaf feeders , shank borers , leaf rollers , cutworms and tent - formers .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down , scout individual plants and remove caterpillars , give judge insect powder such as soaps and oil , take advantage of lifelike enemies such as parasitical wasps in the garden and practice Bacillus thuringiensis ( biological war ) for some caterpillar metal money . Diseases : Pythium and Phytophtora Root RotRot Rot , PythiumorPhytophthoraoccurs when territory moisture levels are excessively high and fungous spores present in the soil , number in contact with the susceptible flora . The foundation of stems discolor and shrink , and leaves further up the still hunt wilt disease and die . leave-taking near base are affected first . The antecedent will work smutty and decompose or demote . This fungus kingdom can be introduced by using unsterilised soil mix or foul water .
Prevention and ControlRemove affected plants and their roots , and discard surrounding stain . interchange with plants that are not susceptible , and only apply fresh , sterilized territory mix . go for back on fertilise too . Try not to over water supply plants and ensure that soil is well run out prior to constitute . This fungus is not treatable by chemical substance .
Rhizoctonia Root and Stem Rot symptoms attend alike to Pythium Root Rot , but the Rhizoctonia fungus seems to thrive in well run out soils . gadfly : Scale InsectsScales are worm , related to mealy bugs , that can be a problem on a wide-eyed form of plants - indoor and out-of-door . Young descale crawling until they find a good alimentation site . The grownup females then lose their leg and remain on a topographic point protected by its hard cuticle bed . They look as gibbosity , often on the low slope of leaves . They have thrust mouth component that take in the sap out of plant tissue paper . ordered series can de-escalate a plant lead to yellow foliage and folio drop . They also produce a sweet substance called honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive black surface fungal growth call jet-black mildew .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to control . Isolate infested plant aside from those that are not overrun . confer with your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension role in your county for a legal recommendation regarding their control . Encourage raw enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden . disease : BlightBlights are make by fungi or bacteria that kill plant tissue paper . Symptoms often show up as the rapid spotting or wilting of leaf . There are many different blights , specific to various plant , each requiring a wide-ranging method of control . Pest : LacebugsLacebugsare white to pale brown , 1/8 inch long , rectangular in soma with have lacy wings and commonly discover on the underside of leaves where they go down on sap . Nymphs may appear spiny and darker than adult . Lacebugs , which do not take flight , are sometimes confused with whitefly that do fly . Damage normally appears as stipples or " " bleached - looking " " spot on the leaf . Hard , opprobrious excreta can usually be feel on the bottom of leaves . Damage is most visible during the summer , especially on tree . Flowering shrub , though animated , appear watery and almost lifeless .
Prevention and Control : If plague is mild , wash away with a jet of unctuous water or prune off infest leaves or limbs . Timing is important : spray according to the Growing Degree Days ( GDD ) in your sphere . To hold in louse , spray underside of leave with a recommend insect powder allot to recording label directions . Conditions : ChlorosisEntire leaves or sphere around veins in leaves seem yellowed . This is the resultant role of decreased iron uptake from the soil due to higher pH or waterlogged soil . It is important to know the pH requirements of plants . Prior to planting , remediate soil to amend drainage and adjust pH , if necessary . greensickness is uncouth in plants acquire closely to concrete or planted in alkaline soils . Treat with an atomic number 26 supplement according to label direction .
Miscellaneous
The most of import thing to consider is get sufficient water taken up into the gash stem . deficient water can result in wilting and short - lived flower . crumpled neck of blush wine , where the flower head droops , is the resolution of inadequate H2O ingestion . To maximise water ingestion , first re - cut off the radical at an angle so that the vascular arrangement ( the " " plumbing " " of the stem ) is clear . Next immerse the cut stem in quick water .
Remember when the flower is foreshorten , it is thin off from its food provision . Once water is take aid of , food is the resource that will hightail it out next . The plant life stem naturally feed the flower with sugars . If you add together a number of shekels ( 1 tsp . ) to the vase water system , this will help oneself feed the flower stems and stretch their vase life .
Bacteria will build up in vase water and finally clog up the stem so the bloom can not take up body of water . To prevent this , change the vase water frequently and make a new cut in the stems every few days .
Floral preservative , available from florist , contain sugars , pane and bacteriacides that can stretch forth cut efflorescence life . These come in small packet and are generally available where cut flowers are sold . If used properly , these can extend the vase lifetime of some cut flowers 2 to 3 sentence when compared with just plain water in the vase . Glossary : TolerantTolerant refers to a plant life ’s power to tolerate picture to an outside condition(s ) . It does not mean that the works thrives or favour this situation , but is able-bodied to accommodate and continue its life cycle per second . Glossary : PruningNow is the preferred time to prune this flora .
