What do you do with rhododendrons in the winter?
PJM type rhododendrons in most years will not require extra winter care. For the other years protection from the winter sun and wind is the most important measure you can take. This is best accomplished by wrapping the plant in burlap, or enclosing it in a burlap tent.
Should rhododendrons be cut back for winter?
Best Time for Trimming Rhododendrons According to most professional landscapers, the ideal time for pruning rhododendrons is late winter, while the plant is dormant. However, any time between the first frost in fall and the last frost in spring (while the sap is low) will work.
Do rhododendrons go dormant in winter?
Broadleaved evergreens (rhododendrons, azaleas, hollies, Mahonia and Leucothoe, for example) have to find a way to survive freezing temperatures, lack of water, wind, and intense sun. The evergreens are dormant.
How do you take care of rhododendrons in the fall?
Rhododendron care includes yearly fertilization which is best applied in fall, following a hard freeze or in early spring. Use fertilizer for acid-loving plants, such as organic cottonseed meal. The organic material you have worked into the soil previously will break down to provide some of the necessary nutrients.
Do I need to protect rhododendron from frost?
Because rhododendrons root much more shallowly than other plants, it’s extra important to keep a thick layer of mulch over this delicate system. Four inches of an organic mulch, like wood chips or pine needles, is often adequate protection from the cold.
Do rhododendron come back every year?
Rhododendrons (Rhododendron spp.) are evergreen perennial shrubs that produce elegant rose-like blooms each year.
Why do rhododendron leaves curl in winter?
So why do some rhodies get curled leaves? It’s actually a natural mechanism that protects the leaves from being too exposed to cold temperatures. Once the weather warms up a bit, the leaves will return to their normal appearance.
How do you bring a rhododendron back to life?
Water the shrub at least two times a week just enough to soak the area around the root ball of the shrub. Lack of water results in brown leaf tips and the shrub looks like it is dying. Rhododendrons draw water from the leaf’s tip first when it senses a water shortage.