How to Garden With Camellias
- 1). Buy the species of camellia you prefer for your patio garden or landscape. Japonica is the most common species and is known for its glossy foliage. It blooms from late winter to early spring and is the most cold hardy. Reticulata has dull leaves but large, showy blossoms and is frequently used when creating hybrids. Sasanqua is more tolerant of afternoon sun and blossoms profusely during autumn.
- 2). Choose an area in the yard with bright morning sunlight but shaded from the afternoon sun, such as near pine trees or perhaps the east side of the house. Pine trees offer the added benefit of natural mulch and winter protection.
- 3). Prepare the growing medium, a mixture of equal parts soil, pine bark and sand. This will bring the soil pH to between 5.0 and 6.5, the ideal for camellias. In addition to lowering the pH of the soil, pine bark also improves aeration.
- 4). Plant your camellia bushes in the ground when the weather is cold, yet above freezing. Fall and winter are the best times. Dig the hole to twice the diameter and 1 1/2 times the depth of the root ball. Then put the growing mixture in the hole, creating a mound in the center to improve drainage. Put the camellia on the mound and then fill in the rest of the hole.
- 5). Water the plant until the roots are saturated.
- 6). Add a layer of mulch that is between 2 and 4 inches thick. Mulch helps to retain moisture in the soil and keep the roots cool.
- 7). Water the roots as often as necessary to keep them wet while they are becoming established. Then water the camellias thoroughly once a week.
- 8). Fertilize your camellias in the spring of their second year. The best time to fertilize is as soon as the plant stops blooming and before new growth starts to appear. Saturate the roots the day before fertilizing and they will be less likely to burn. Use a special fertilizer designed for camellias. Follow the package directions for the amount and method of application.
- 9). Prune your camellias after they have finished blossoming. The branches tend to grow in a haphazard manner so you do need to shape the bush.
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Snip some of the flower buds when they start to grow in late August or early September. This will encourage the remaining buds to grow into large and showy blossoms. - 11
Collect the mature seeds in October. The seeds are not fertile before then. - 12
Plant the seeds immediately as they have a tendency to harden during storage. Place the eye face-down in a small pot with a mixture of 1/3 peat moss and 2/3 wet sphagnum moss. Then cover the seeds with a 1/4-inch layer of peat moss and water with a fine mist. - 13
Water the seedlings regularly until they are 1 year old. They do not need fertilizing during this time. After one year, you can care for them the same as mature camellias.
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