Rhododendrons and other bog plants keep fascinating us with their
vast colorfulness and exquisite blooms. More and more garden owners
wish to have a bog plant in their gardens and ask themselves how
much care is needed to exhibit these plants in all their glory.
Habitat
Care of bog plants begins by choosing the habitat of the bog
plant. A suitable habitat for a bog plant is a wind-protected,
shady, and not exceedingly hot habitat that exhibits a high degree
of air moisture. The bog plant should grow in the rain shadow
of a building, because long-term artificial watering is harmful
to the bog plant due to the high lime content in tap water. However,
a location that is too shady is also not recommended, because
bud development leaves much to be desired here. Even the very
best of care cannot improve an incorrectly selected habitat.
Care
When caring for bog plants, keep in mind that they need acidic
soil (pH 4.2-5.5). The care required for bog plants does not significantly
differ from caring for grove bushes.
In order to achieve satisfactory growth as well as simultaneous
good bud development, the bog plants need sufficient nutrient
supply in the form of fertilization. Sufficient nutrients must
be available, especially during the growth period from April to
October. This simultaneously strengthens the resistance of the
plants against disease and pests. Ill-nourished bog plants can
be easily recognized by their smaller, lighter-colored leaves.
They also have fewer blooms due to the nutrient deficiency. The
first fertilization should be done at the beginning of April in
dry weather conditions. The second fertilization should be done
at the end of June under the same conditions. When selecting the
suitable fertilizer, ensure that the fertilizer does not have
alkaline (lime) effects.
The best time to prune is in the early spring, preferably between
March and the beginning of April, shortly before the buds sprout.
Pruning in the fall is not advisable due to the risk of frost.
Plants that are completely bald on the bottom and only bushy
on top can be cut back up into the old wood. A healthy plant sprouts
again, even if there were no leaves there before.
When the blooms are wilted and brown, seed vessel development
begins. The young rhododendrons are unnecessarily weakened by
the seed formation. Therefore, it is advisable to break off wilted
blooms on time. You must be very careful when breaking off the
blooms, because otherwise you could break off young branches that
contain buds set to bloom the following year. Starting at a rhododendron
size of 2 meters, breaking off of blooms can be skipped, because
these plants can withstand the seed formation without problems.
Bog plants are usually not afflicted by disease or pests in their
suitable soil and environmental conditions. Pest and disease infestation
almost always occurs only with ill-nourished and weakened plants.
Disease and pest infestation occurs even with sufficient nutrient
supply. The two most important ones are as follows:
Dying Off of Buds
Damage: Closed, dead, dried up flower buds that do
not fall off and are covered with a dark fungal growth.
Cause: The fungal infection is transmitted by the rhododendron
cicada when it lays its eggs.
Preventive Measure: At the end of winter, thoroughly
remove and destroy all brown-colored flower buds.
Combating the Fungus: Using chemical agents to combat
the fungus is not recommended.
Combating Cicadas: Cicadas can be combated with numerous
insecticides. It is important to wait for the right time. The
use of yellow traps is the most successful method: As soon as
cicadas are found in the traps, the insecticide is deployed.
Rhododendrons are not damaged if they are covered with snow for
a longer period of time. At higher elevations, it is advisable
to tie down larger plants or reinforce them against snow accumulation
using wood slats, so that no breakage occurs. Non-winter-hardy
plants can be protected against the cold with jute material or
canvas.
You should not plant bog plants in areas that need regular watering,
because occasional watering with tap water does not damage the
plants. Bog plants should only be watered with rain water anyway.
In the summer, you should only water when the soil is totally
parched due to a longer period of continuous heat. Excessive watering
can lead to moisture retention, which bog plants do not like at
all. In the fall or winter, you only need to water if the fall
was very dry and the soil could not store sufficient water for
the winter.
