What are their soil requirements and how to get them to bloom?
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4 Answers
Give Camellias a little TLC and you will be rewarded with masses of bloom.Soil should be slightly acidic with PH of 5-6.5.Deep,friable and and well drained soil enriched with compost and cow manure are best.
If the soil is too alkaline,grow them in containers and improve clay soil with gypsum and organic material.
Plant it in a hole twice as wide and deep as the rootball.Water the plant well,remove it from the container and position it in the hole.Make sure the top of the rootball level with the soil,then backfill the hole,tamp down and water in.Check the soil level and adjust if necessary.
The plants should be watered regularly especially during spring and summer because camellias can take up to two years to establish root once planted.keep them mulched and watered especially when hot and dry.
Feed the plants twice a year in early spring to boost growth and later in summer for more flowers and better growth.
Use a controlled released fertilizer such as osmocote in spring and blood and bone or well rotted cow manure in summer.Always water the ground well before and after fertilizing
Mulch annually using sugar cane,Lucerne hay or composted autumn leaves but never use mushroom compost.Spread a layer 75-100mm thick keeping it clear of the trunk
Prune to remove dead wood,or to reshape in late winter or early spring
Unhealthy plants attacked by scales or mites should be treated with pestoil.
If the soil is too alkaline,grow them in containers and improve clay soil with gypsum and organic material.
Plant it in a hole twice as wide and deep as the rootball.Water the plant well,remove it from the container and position it in the hole.Make sure the top of the rootball level with the soil,then backfill the hole,tamp down and water in.Check the soil level and adjust if necessary.
The plants should be watered regularly especially during spring and summer because camellias can take up to two years to establish root once planted.keep them mulched and watered especially when hot and dry.
Feed the plants twice a year in early spring to boost growth and later in summer for more flowers and better growth.
Use a controlled released fertilizer such as osmocote in spring and blood and bone or well rotted cow manure in summer.Always water the ground well before and after fertilizing
Mulch annually using sugar cane,Lucerne hay or composted autumn leaves but never use mushroom compost.Spread a layer 75-100mm thick keeping it clear of the trunk
Prune to remove dead wood,or to reshape in late winter or early spring
Unhealthy plants attacked by scales or mites should be treated with pestoil.
Camellias are recommended to plant in locations with partial sunlight or up to half a day of sun. To care your the camellia plant, watering regularly and deeply is vital during the growing season and in fall when the flower's buds are forming. Fertilizing is really necessary and can be damaging if not done properly. Pruning is rarely needed, make you camellia shrub bushier, cut the stem back to just above last year's growth.