Feed shrubs

Hi, just a quick question, I bought a rhododendron from my local gardening man, and some feed (miracle-gro) for azalea,camellia & rhododendron, it's 15ml per gallon of water... This is the question I'm need advise on, is it a gallon per shrub? Daft I know but hey I gotta learn somewhere.

 

Aaahh, the length of a piece of string and all that Scooby. The size of the shrub comes into the equation and how dry/damp the soil around it is. I would say a gallon per shrub, once a week will be fine.
I give my more mature ones an extra "treat" in the summer too. After a good downpour, I sprinkle Epsom Salts around the base of each one in late June/ early July to encourage the formation of next years flower buds . In late Autumn, they get a sprinkling of blood,fish and bone too. A 1kg bag costs £1 from our local fruit farm. He bags it up himself for his customers.
Would love to see a piccie of yours when it blooms please,
Jenny

 

15 ml per gallon is the mixing ratio.
How much you give each plant is dependant on how thirsty they are.
But aim to give feed once a month or so if in pots, once established.

I never feed anything growing in the garden, my main problem with them is usually they get too big.

 

Thanks for all the replies in the past I've only ever filled 1 watering can and spread that across 5 or 6 shrubs, funny now, if it wasn't for my local gardening man I wouldn't have thought to ask.... They will all get a good feeding now every couple of weeks.... Thanks again......

 

That's an interesting tip, Jenny, never heard of that before, and very timely too! Thank you

 

My book "Camellias - the complete Guide" by the late Logan.E Edgar says no more feeding after end of August.
Logan had a nursery near our house and I learnt to love Camellias through him. He had tunnels of them for sale. He propagated and bred new ones too. A wonderful man.
Jenny

 

So, are Epsom Salts just for Camellias/acid loving plants then?

 

Epsom Salts ie Magnesium sulphate, is a requirement of the acid ( ericaceous) loving shrubs and if they are starved of it, the leaves will turn yellow and sickly eventually and bud formation will also suffer.
It is cheap( available at your local Pharmacy) and if applied sparingly ( no more than 1 oz per sq yard,) on wet soil - after a good spell of rain, it will do no harm. Only on the ground, not the leaves though.
Signs of next years buds should be visible by the end of August.

 

Fab, thank you for clarifying, Jenny. Think my blueberry plant would welcome a touch of Epsom

 

Good for relieving constipation too I believe......

 

ask Kristen son....

 

I think this thread is going down the pan!