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| How to Plant & Care for Camellias... Back to Camellias |
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How to Grow Camellias - gardening - Brief Article
Flower & Garden Magazine, July, 2001 by Ray Bond
Growing camellias is very simple. Keep it that way by doing it right from the start! Camellias in
containers may be set out during any month of the year if they receive proper care. Fall and early spring,
after freezing weather is past, are best for putting outdoors, but remember the plants must be protected
during the first winter. Other than that, if the following instructions arc followed, your camellias should
thrive and be a wonderful addition to your garden or patio.
Flower & Garden Magazine, July, 2001 by Ray Bond
Growing camellias is very simple. Keep it that way by doing it right from the start! Camellias in
containers may be set out during any month of the year if they receive proper care. Fall and early spring,
after freezing weather is past, are best for putting outdoors, but remember the plants must be protected
during the first winter. Other than that, if the following instructions arc followed, your camellias should
thrive and be a wonderful addition to your garden or patio.
* LOCATION
Camellias grow and produce the best flowers in filtered sun or partial
shade. In too much sun they may suffer scald on the leaves, or the
leaves may appear yellow rather than deep green. In winter, protect
camellias from the "blue northers" coming in with a fast freeze. So, what
does this leave? Camellias make great foundation plants where they can
be shaded or protected by large trees. They are beautiful in corners, on
patios, as hedges, in atriums and stand-alone. Camellias love pine trees
and pine groves.
* PLANTING
Slightly acid (pH 6), sandy or loamy is a great soil for camellias. The best
camellias are usually grown in beds or in areas where the soil and
surroundings offer a friendly home for them. If you choose a raised bed,
clear the area and raise a bed with ties, timbers, rocks or bricks to a
height of about two feet. Put down a porous ground cloth to prevent
Camellias grow and produce the best flowers in filtered sun or partial
shade. In too much sun they may suffer scald on the leaves, or the
leaves may appear yellow rather than deep green. In winter, protect
camellias from the "blue northers" coming in with a fast freeze. So, what
does this leave? Camellias make great foundation plants where they can
be shaded or protected by large trees. They are beautiful in corners, on
patios, as hedges, in atriums and stand-alone. Camellias love pine trees
and pine groves.
* PLANTING
Slightly acid (pH 6), sandy or loamy is a great soil for camellias. The best
camellias are usually grown in beds or in areas where the soil and
surroundings offer a friendly home for them. If you choose a raised bed,
clear the area and raise a bed with ties, timbers, rocks or bricks to a
height of about two feet. Put down a porous ground cloth to prevent
weeds. Spread your prepared soil on top of the ground cloth.
* SOIL MIX
Good drainage is the "secret" to good camellias! They must have a loose, well-drained soil. A mix of ideal
soil mix. Camellias love a few (about 10%) pine bark "nuggets" added to the soil mix. The roots will ideal
soil mix. Camellias love a few (about 10%) pine bark "nuggets" added to the soil mix. The roots will attach
themselves to these pieces of pine bark because of the air the bark holds. Add enough dolomitic
limestone, about two tbs. per cubic foot of this mix, to bring it to a pH of approximately 6. (One cubic foot
of soil is equivalent to 1-1/2, five-gallon paint buckets full of soil.)
Some of the new `Winter-Hardy' camellia hybrids make excellent hedges as well as stand alone, tough
and decorative plants.
* THE RIGHT WAY TO PLANT A CAMELLIA
Camellias need air. The top of the root ball should be slightly above the soil level, enough so that you can
see a few roots. You might want to put a rock or brick pedestal under the root ball to keep the root ball
from sinking. Do not use a concrete block or scrap as a pedestal for the root ball. Calcium, concentrated in
concrete, will kill the plant.
Do not use peat moss or "landscape mix" with camellias; these fill pores in the soil and clog it,
denying needed air to the roots and thereby drowning the plant.
* FERTILIZER
A good, time release, 3-1-2 ratio fertilizer with trace elements is recommended for camellias. Apply it at
about 3/4 the dose as recommended on the label, in the spring, immediately after the plant has
completed its blooming cycle. Top dress with a slow release (six-month or longer) fertilizer in early April.
The most effective camellia fertilizers release nutrients that flush by the roots and do not remain in
contact with, or clog the roots.
If you want to give the soil an initial "charge," add a small amount of organic fertilizer, such as composted
cow manure, cotton seed meal or Milorganite [R], to this mixture. Organic fertilizers are okay, but should
be used sparingly. Many organic fertilizers break down and leave a fine residue that fills the air spaces in
the soil, thereby damaging the plant. Liquid organic fertilizers leave no solid residue and can be very good
for a relatively short period.
* WATER
Do not "puddle." Camellias hate wet roots! After the plants become acclimated, new roots will usually
provide moisture for the plant except in the dry months. If new growth droops, the plant needs water.
Camellias prefer the soil to be moist, not soggy. Some camellia cultivars are more water sensitive than
others. When watering, the soil should be moist to a depth of 14" to 18." Water when the soil is dry to the
touch--two to three inches deep.
* MULCH
Mulch around the plant with pine straw or bark nuggets to help the soil retain moisture and keep cool in
summer and warm in winter. Two to four inches of this mulch will do well. Other mulch materials, such as
leaves or hardwood barks, will mat, trap water and prevent air from reaching the roots, ultimately killing
the camellia.
* DISEASES
Camellias have few diseases, most of which do not occur in relatively dry climates. The primary one is
camellia die-back, caused by the fungus, Glomerella cingulata. Prune away infected branches to clean
wood. Phtophthora root can attack C. japonicas. Good drainage helps prevent it. C. sasanquas and the new
`Winter-Hardy' C. hybrids are immune to it.
* SOIL MIX
Good drainage is the "secret" to good camellias! They must have a loose, well-drained soil. A mix of ideal
soil mix. Camellias love a few (about 10%) pine bark "nuggets" added to the soil mix. The roots will ideal
soil mix. Camellias love a few (about 10%) pine bark "nuggets" added to the soil mix. The roots will attach
themselves to these pieces of pine bark because of the air the bark holds. Add enough dolomitic
limestone, about two tbs. per cubic foot of this mix, to bring it to a pH of approximately 6. (One cubic foot
of soil is equivalent to 1-1/2, five-gallon paint buckets full of soil.)
Some of the new `Winter-Hardy' camellia hybrids make excellent hedges as well as stand alone, tough
and decorative plants.
* THE RIGHT WAY TO PLANT A CAMELLIA
Camellias need air. The top of the root ball should be slightly above the soil level, enough so that you can
see a few roots. You might want to put a rock or brick pedestal under the root ball to keep the root ball
from sinking. Do not use a concrete block or scrap as a pedestal for the root ball. Calcium, concentrated in
concrete, will kill the plant.
Do not use peat moss or "landscape mix" with camellias; these fill pores in the soil and clog it,
denying needed air to the roots and thereby drowning the plant.
* FERTILIZER
A good, time release, 3-1-2 ratio fertilizer with trace elements is recommended for camellias. Apply it at
about 3/4 the dose as recommended on the label, in the spring, immediately after the plant has
completed its blooming cycle. Top dress with a slow release (six-month or longer) fertilizer in early April.
The most effective camellia fertilizers release nutrients that flush by the roots and do not remain in
contact with, or clog the roots.
If you want to give the soil an initial "charge," add a small amount of organic fertilizer, such as composted
cow manure, cotton seed meal or Milorganite [R], to this mixture. Organic fertilizers are okay, but should
be used sparingly. Many organic fertilizers break down and leave a fine residue that fills the air spaces in
the soil, thereby damaging the plant. Liquid organic fertilizers leave no solid residue and can be very good
for a relatively short period.
* WATER
Do not "puddle." Camellias hate wet roots! After the plants become acclimated, new roots will usually
provide moisture for the plant except in the dry months. If new growth droops, the plant needs water.
Camellias prefer the soil to be moist, not soggy. Some camellia cultivars are more water sensitive than
others. When watering, the soil should be moist to a depth of 14" to 18." Water when the soil is dry to the
touch--two to three inches deep.
* MULCH
Mulch around the plant with pine straw or bark nuggets to help the soil retain moisture and keep cool in
summer and warm in winter. Two to four inches of this mulch will do well. Other mulch materials, such as
leaves or hardwood barks, will mat, trap water and prevent air from reaching the roots, ultimately killing
the camellia.
* DISEASES
Camellias have few diseases, most of which do not occur in relatively dry climates. The primary one is
camellia die-back, caused by the fungus, Glomerella cingulata. Prune away infected branches to clean
wood. Phtophthora root can attack C. japonicas. Good drainage helps prevent it. C. sasanquas and the new
`Winter-Hardy' C. hybrids are immune to it.