1. Soil
Rhododendron is a shade-loving plant, and direct sunlight is not good for its growth. Therefore, it is best to choose a place with tree shade for the Rhododendron garden, or This was taken into consideration when doing greening design, and trees were deliberately placed in specialized gardens. Rhododendron likes well-drained acidic soil, but because all specialized gardens and landscapes use cement for roads and pavements, the soil in the planting site for Rhododendron is hardened and severely alkaline, so the soil in the planting site must be replaced and a certain amount of water added. amount of peat soil.
To the north of the Yangtze River, potted plants are used for ornamental purposes. The potting soil is made of leaf mold, sandy soil, and homogeneous soil (7:2:1), mixed with cake fertilizer, manure, etc., and mix well before planting. Generally, the pots are potted or the soil is changed in March in spring. In the area south of the Yangtze River, ground planting is the main type. Planting is done before germination in spring. The location should be chosen in a ventilated, semi-shady place. The soil needs to be loose, fertile, and rich in humus. Acidic sandy loam is suitable and should not accumulate water. Otherwise it will not be conducive to the normal growth of the rhododendron. After planting, plant firmly and water.
2. Planting
Rhododendrons are most suitable for planting in early spring or late autumn. If planted in other seasons, a shade shed must be erected. During planting, the root system and soil must be evenly packed, but still It should not be too compact, and the soil surface near the rhizome should be in an arc-shaped state. This can not only protect the superficial root system of the plant from severe cold damage, but also facilitate drainage.
3. Temperature
Move out of the greenhouse in mid-to-late April, first place it in a leeward and sunny place, shade it in summer, or place it in a sparse shade place under a tree to avoid strong direct sunlight. . The suitable growth temperature is 15-25℃, and the maximum temperature is 32℃. Begin to move indoors in mid-October at the end of autumn, and place it in a sunny place in winter. The room temperature should be maintained at 5-10°C. The lowest temperature cannot be lower than 5°C, otherwise the growth will stop.
4. Watering
Rhododendron requires soil moisture that is moist but not wet. Generally, in spring and autumn, rhododendrons grown in the open field can be watered once every 2-3 days. In hot summer, water should be watered at least once a day. For daily watering, do not use alkaline water. When watering, you should also pay attention to the water temperature not being too cold. Especially in hot summer, watering with too cold water will cause the soil temperature to drop suddenly, affecting the water absorption of the root system and interfering with the physiological balance of the plant.
After planting and soil replacement, water thoroughly once so that the roots are in full contact with the soil to facilitate root survival and growth. Pay attention to watering during the growth period. Starting from March, gradually increase the amount of watering. Especially in summer, there should be no shortage of water. Always keep the potting soil moist, but do not accumulate water. Reduce watering after September. In winter, the potting soil should be used after entering the house. Let it dry before watering.
5. Humidity
Rhododendrons like an environment with high air humidity. However, some special rhododendron gardens are built in squares and roads on both sides, where the air flows quickly and is relatively dry, so they must be checked regularly. Spray water on the rhododendron leaves or spray the surrounding air to keep the air around the rhododendron garden moist.
6. Fertilization
In late winter and early spring every year, it is best to apply some organic fertilizer as base fertilizer to the azalea garden. After the rhododendron blooms from April to May, as the plant consumes a lot of nutrients during the flowering period, as the leaf buds sprout and the new shoots grow, fertilizer can be applied every 15 days or so. After entering the dormant state, most of the branches have stopped growing. This is the high temperature season and physiological activities are weakened, so top dressing is no longer necessary. After autumn, the climate gradually becomes cooler, and there are continuous autumn rains from time to time. The temperature and humidity are suitable for the growth of rhododendrons. At this time, the last top dressing can be done. It is generally not suitable to fertilize after winter.
7. Pruning
Pruning is an important measure in daily maintenance and management. It can regulate growth and development, thereby making growth vigorous. Routine pruning requires cutting off a few diseased branches and weak old branches, and removing some overly dense branches based on the crown shape to increase ventilation and light transmission, which is beneficial to plant growth. Rhododendron gardens must be inspected frequently. If any dead or diseased branches are found, they should be removed promptly to reduce the spread of pests and diseases in the azaleas.
The buds should be picked in time during the budding period to ensure a concentrated supply of nutrients and promote large and colorful flowers. Pruning of branches is generally carried out in spring and autumn. Cut off crossing branches, overly dense branches, overlapping branches, diseased and weak branches, and remove residual flowers in time. Plastic surgery is generally based on the natural tree shape with slight artificial modification, which can be done according to the shape of the tree.