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TessA
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12-01-2018, 01:40 PM
1

Camelias - time to give up trying?

Every year I've wrapped it up cozily until it starts to flower, unwrapped it, wrapped it at night when frosty, unwrapped it in the day etc. etc.
Every time the flowers go brown and drop off.
I've not bothered with it this winter let it go it's own way and will treat it as a foliage shrub.
Not impressed.
How are yours doing?
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12-01-2018, 01:46 PM
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Re: Camelias - time to give up trying?

That must be very disappointing Tess, especially as you've done your best.
Mine look OK at the moment, but they are forecasting more cold next week.

Don't know if this is any help or not, but there is quite a bit of info here, on the RHS site:

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=771

Just thought, I suppose yours is in Ericaceous isn't it? They won't thrive otherwise. Do you also use an ericaceous feed?
TessA
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12-01-2018, 01:58 PM
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Re: Camelias - time to give up trying?

Yes t'is in ericaceous Mups, I don't feed it though, perhaps that's what's wrong. It's grown well otherwise though.
It looks like it could be frost damage but if I keep it covered I won't see the flowers. It's in a sheltered spot.
I think the stupid thing just flowers at the wrong time!
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12-01-2018, 02:26 PM
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Re: Camelias - time to give up trying?

Originally Posted by TessA ->
Yes t'is in ericaceous Mups, I don't feed it though, perhaps that's what's wrong. It's grown well otherwise though.
It looks like it could be frost damage but if I keep it covered I won't see the flowers. It's in a sheltered spot.
I think the stupid thing just flowers at the wrong time!
They don't like to face the sun when they have been frosted this is what makes them go brown,the flowers that is.
Next doors has been flowering since before christmas although I'll admit we are in the mild south west.
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12-01-2018, 02:27 PM
5

Re: Camelias - time to give up trying?

I have never covered my camellias (4). Two of which I planted seventeen years ago in my son's garden, just down the road from me. They are very large now and have flowered prolifically without any special treatment all these years. Here in this house (5years) on the top of a hill, I have two camellias, one in a tub standing exposed on the decking to frost, snow and rain, again no special treatment apart from ericacious compost. I has beautiful glossy leaves and loads of buds just beginning to show.
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12-01-2018, 02:27 PM
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Re: Camelias - time to give up trying?

Is it in a tub, or in the ground?

If it is in a tub, they are rather at our mercy aren't they, because they can't put their roots out and find food and water once it is all used up.
I've got 3 Camellias, and 5 Rhodedendrons, and every spring I scrape the top 3 or 4" of compost off all of them, and replace it will new, mixing in some slow release ericaceous feed at the same time.

Then once they have finished flowering, I feed them with a liquid ericaceous feed about every 2 or 3 weeks right through till autumn, because that is when they are building the buds for the following year.

Just thought, when I replace the top compost, I also scrape enough away to check the roots for Vine Weevals as they are little blighters for Rhode's and Camellias. I learned the hard way when they killed my favourite Rhode 2 years ago. I also only ever use rainwater - unless we've had a drought and the butts are dry.

Come the cold weather, I put a deep layer of bark chips over the compost as they are not deep rooted plants, and the roots will freeze if it gets very icy for long. Then some fleece over the buds if it gets really cold.

Hope that helps.
TessA
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12-01-2018, 02:36 PM
7

Re: Camelias - time to give up trying?

It's in the ground Mups. It did belong to my late ex-Mother in law so it could be afflicted with spite not blight. Should I try moving it to a sunny position? It's under a tree. They don't like being moved though do they?
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12-01-2018, 02:50 PM
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Re: Camelias - time to give up trying?

We have four camellias in the garden (in the ground). They are in with the rhodi bushes and I think they get a bit of protection from them. One pale cream/yellow one flowers a bit earlier than the rest and this is the one which catches the frost some years. It is also the one with the most flowers on. I think when choosing camellias I would now ask for the later flowering varieties. The cream one is the best of the bunch, when it doesn't get damaged by the weather.
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12-01-2018, 03:05 PM
9

Re: Camelias - time to give up trying?

Originally Posted by TessA ->
It's in the ground Mups. It did belong to my late ex-Mother in law so it could be afflicted with spite not blight. Should I try moving it to a sunny position? It's under a tree. They don't like being moved though do they?

Sun is OK for them, as long as it is not the early morning sun, they don't want that because if the buds do get frosted, the early sun on them will burn them. Mine don't get the sun moves round about mid day. I think they prefer light shade to full sun.
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12-01-2018, 03:36 PM
10

Re: Camelias - time to give up trying?

I have a camellia in a very large pot which is buried into the garden. It flowers every year with no attention, other than feeding each spring, I read somewhere that bud fall occurs because of a lack of water during the summer months.


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