Poorly Rhododendron

Hi

I have two Rhododendrons planted in pots that I got in the summer. They both flowered fine but in the last 2 weeks one of them looks very poorly. Lots of leaves have brown spots over them and groups of leaves have wilted and curled.

The other one is fine and has grown little bunches of new green leaves. The buds on the poorly one look all brown and dried out.

I have taken photos but not sure how to post them on here (I'm sure I've seen posts with photos before).

Can anyone offer any advice. They are called "Percy Wiseman" Rhododendrons.

Thanks
dinks

 

Hi dinky. The most obvious problems, especially with Rhodo`s, is lack of water and vine weevils. If the plant has been kept moist then you need to check for vine weevils. take it out of its pot and look for small, white, brown headed grubs. If you find any kill them. You should then wash off all the soil from around the roots and repot in fresh compost. David.

 

Hi David

Thanks for the reply. I have taken it out of it's pot and found no grubs or anything live at all! What I did find were very small yellow round balls. I found about 20 of them within the roots but just around the bottom. I haven't even taken all the earth off yet. The root system is really tight and as I hack into it there are all these little yellow balls.

They crack easily and inside they are just white.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Dinks

 

Some yellow balls are slow release plant food incorporated in the compost, might have to ask someone at the place you bought them from. They do like moist soil in semi shade, or ericacious compost.

 

Thanks. I got them from a stall at a country show so can't go back and ask about them.

Shall I just replant it and see what happens? There are no signs of any grubs or anything and the soil is moist and in semi-shade.

They did get very dry while I was on holiday for a week at the beginning of August. I asked a neighbour to water them but she didn't and they were wilted and parched when I got home. I have been watering them well since then and one of them is fine but the other one never recovered.

Do you think it was just lack of water and it might right itself again? It's been well watered for the last 3 weeks though and hasn't improved.

Thanks
dinks

 

Hi Dinky, don`t worry about the yellow balls as TO says they are slow release fertiliser pellets ( probably deplete by now ), Don`t make the mistake of overwatering the plant either. Now, if you had to really force the roots apart I would say it is pot bound, so move it into a slightly bigger pot using an ericaceous compost. David.