Re: rhodies & blackberries

Well, Sheryl, hate to tell you but think you have created the
infamous bath tub effect for your poor rhodie.  If it were mine, I'd
dig it up immediately.  Cut off any black and rotted roots that look
slimy.  It will die if you do not dig it up and replant it yesterday.

What you want to do with clay soil is plant rhodies and azaleas
basically on *top* of the natural grade and back fill with a very
organic mix - like maybe 1/3 your natural soil, 1/3 fine bark
(preferably pine bark) mulch and 1/3 peat.  You would likely have to
do some retaining - a few logs or rocks - to keep the soil around the
plant and be able to level it out somewhat so it doesn't create a
hill that water simply runs down.  You want to mulch with an "acid"
type mulch - pine bark is best; pine needles are good, except they
tend to not hold in moisture as well as bark, IMO.

You do not want to fertilize a newly planted rhodie.  These are not
heavy feeders in the first place and can do without it.  If you do
fertilize, it should be in early spring and never after the end of
June.  Always use a fertilizer especially formulated for acid loving
plants.  I use something called 'Hollytone' but there will be similar
available wherever you are.

You can also dig over and loosen the soil in the area you want to
plant and then scrape out a shallow depression with at least half of
the root ball extending above the natural grade line, but I'd only do
this if I knew the clay soil had good natural drainage.

What happens when you dig a nice hole in clay and then backfill with
a mix is that the water just stays in the hole, like a bath tub and
drowns the plants roots.

Once you have replanted "high", you do need to water regularly if it
doesn't rain.  The soil should never dry out, but it *must* drain
sharply for this genus...the old conundrum of constantly damp but
well drained.

The American Rhododendron Society has some very good information
about planting and care as well as a line drawing showing what
"planting high" looks like...should help you out a bit.

http://www.rhododendron.org/librarysector/planting.htm

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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----------
> From: Sheryl Jones <sljones1@FACSTAFF.WISC.EDU>
> Date: Tuesday, July 25, 2000 8:36 AM
>
> I bought a rhodie about a week ago.  I dug a hole in my somewhat
heavy clay
> soil and tossed the diggings into a wheelbarrow.  I mixed it with a
generous
> amount of peat moss and a little fertilizer.  I took the rhodie out
of the
> pot, loosened the rootball and placed it in the hole.  I backfilled
with the
> amended soil.  I watered well and mulched with cocoa bean hulls.  I
continue
> to water every day.  It looks bad.  The leaves are all curled in.
Any
> ideas?  I don't want to lose the poor thing!
> Thanks in advance for your help!
>
> ----------------------------------
> Sheryl Jones
> sljones1@facstaff.wisc.edu
> Madison WI * Zone 4/5A
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