Camellias

Camellia Cultivation

Camellias are normally best suited to a woodland position requiring a light well drained soil with plenty of organic matter, but they will grow on heavy clay based soils, given a well prepared site. Soil with an acidic nature (between 5 to 6.5p.h) is preferable, but definitely not over chalk or limestone, under these conditions Camellias must be grown in containers.

For most Camellias a site which gives them protection from the early morning sun helps to protect the blooms from major frost damage. To this end dappled shade at least until Mid-day and shelter from those strong Northeast winds will benefit your plants. The Autumn flowering Camellia sasanqua varieties can also enjoy a more open position in the sunshine, here they will ripen those new growths for flowering later.

Providing that the soil is not frozen solid, Camellias can be planted outside at any time of the year. After finding the ideal site, prepare a planting hole about two to three times the size of your container and of the same depth. Using plenty of lime free leaf mould, peat or any similar material, fork into the subsoil. Place a small amount of bone meal with some more organic matter and mix into the soil that you will fill into the hole. Positioning the Camellia into the planting hole, so that the surface of the rootball will be at the same level as the surrounding soil, infill with the remaining soil and water in well.

Once planted, a layer of bark chippings, garden compost or leaf mould can be spread over the area around it, (do not use spent mushroom compost for this purpose as it will contain lime). This has the same effect as the fall of leaf litter in the woodland, which insulates the soil from any drying winds or the sun, which in turn prevents moisture loss.

Feeding must only be carried out between April and mid September. Normally the first year after planting out or moving into a larger container, there should be enough nutrients to keep it growing until the following Spring. From April until the end of June, once a fortnight apply a high Nitrogen fertilizer, say Miracid or Sulphate of Iron at the recommended rate of use, then in July to mid September change to a high Phosphate/Potash feed such as Tomorite. Never feed Camellias from October through to the end of March.

It is very important never to allow your plants compost/soil to dry out during the Summer months or early Autumn, as this will have an effect on the flowering during the following Spring. This is the most common reason for a bud drop at this time. Container grown plants must be kept moist but not sodden, as this may cause damage to the root system. Giving the foliage during hot weather a spraying down with water after the suns rays have past will also help.

All Camellia bushes respond well to an annual pruning, normally just after flowering. Remove any of the terminal growth buds from the leading shoots or if any of last year's growths are extra long, reduce those back to last years position. With the exception of the Autumn flowering sasanquas or their hybrids, once the Spring growth has matured by the end of July, if you wish one could also remove the tips of the hardened growths. Sasanquas will only bloom on the Spring growths.

Camellias make ideal plants for the conservatory or the patio. Here containers must have plenty of drainage for the best results. Use good Ericaceous compost, repot into a slightly larger pot than that which the plant has just grown out of. This is normally about 2-4 inches or 5-10 cm larger, plant as before but leave at least 1 inch or 2.5cm between the rim and the compost level, this will ensure there is room for watering. It maybe advisable to sink any pot that is under 12inches (30.5cm) across into a larger pot, say 2-4 inches bigger. This will in turn protect the rootball during the Winter months from freezing and in the Summer from de-hydration. A layer of mulch will also hide the smaller pot and can give extra protection; those plants in the conservatory can if you wish be placed out side during the Summer months in a shady position.