How to Plant a Rhododendron Bush
- 1). Pick a location in the garden that is partially shaded, preferably the north or east side of your house. Avoid a location that will subject the rhododendron to hot sunny afternoons.
- 2). Plant in a location large enough for the mature size of the rhododendrons, planting them 5 to 6 feet apart. Most rhododendrons will have a height and spread of 5 to 8 feet.
- 3). Test the pH of the soil. Work in iron sulfate or sulfur, if necessary, until the pH level is between 4.5 and 5.5. Ask at a local garden store or state cooperative extension for advice on what works best in your area.
- 4). Amend the soil with peat moss or other organic matter if you have clay soil, as rhododendrons require good drainage and good soil aeration. Work the entire planting bed, not just the planting hole. Add enough organic matter so that a ball of soil will crumble when poked.
- 5). Dig a hole that is 2 to 3 times the width of the root ball and the same depth as the root ball.
- 6). Irrigate the plant in its container if the root ball is dry until water runs out of the holes in the bottom of the container.
- 7). Remove the plant from its container. If the root ball is wrapped in plastic, remove it. Root balls wrapped in burlap or other biodegradable material can be planted wrapped.
- 8). Insert the root ball into the hole, with the plant at the same that is was previously growing. Planting 1 or 2 inches higher is acceptable, but never plant lower. Add soil back into the hole, if necessary, to raise the root ball to the required placement.
- 9). Mulch around the rhododendron 2 to 3 inches deep. Fill a watering can and gently soak the soil around the base of the shrub. Apply fertilizer at half the label's recommended rate.
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