Are your Rhododendrons, Camellias and Azaleas looking a little tired?

Are your rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas looking a little tired? The chances are these acid-loving plants are in need of an ericaceous boost!

Yellowing leaves in rhododendrons, camellias, azaleas, magnolias, pieris, skimmias, blueberries and even Japanese Maples are a sign that they are iron and magnesium deprived. If the soil in which they are growing is too alkaline, some nutrients become locked from them and they need a boost which you can easily give by applying an ericaceous liquid feed. This type of feed, especially designed for these plants, will ensure that the leaves will green up in a few weeks and the plant will look healthy again.

Ideally these lime-hating plants should be grown in ericaceous soil which is easy to do it you are growing them in a pot. If you have them growing in the ground, then apply a mulch of ericaceous soil around them which will be worked down by the worms to help the plant access the nutrients it needs. You can apply an ericaceous mulch around them every year or even twice a year, in Spring and in Autumn. A scattering of pine needles as a mulch also keeps the soil on the acidic side.

With just a little know how and care, your beautiful acid-loving plants will thrive in the garden!