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Olafhenny · 01-27-2014, 05:50 PM

Rhododendrons are problematic for me for two reasons:
• They do not like our arid climate here
• They have a very shallow root system
The latter gets them into conflict with the equally flat rooting ground covers, which I employ
throughout the yard as weed control. Accordingly they get treated by me rather step-motherly.
If they survive, - okay, if not, there are other, more suitable, plants to replace them.

This morning I noticed something, which may be of help to rhodo growers in other more humid
northerly regions. They certainly appear to be hardy enough, since they grow wild in a nearby
mountain park (Manning Park), with an hardiness of 3 or less, though huge loads of snow
in the region may help protect them.

Thus it was with some surprise, that I noticed the following:

In this photo you see three rhodos. The one to the left and the little one to the lower right have
their leaves hanging down, as they typically do here in winter, but the one in front of the B-shelter,
with the benefit of some of the leaf mulch around it,looks outright perky by comparison.

Olaf

01-27-2014, 05:50 PM	#1 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,705 BananaBucks : 297,528 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 2,012 Times in 876 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Rhododendrons benefit from leaf mulch? Rhododendrons are problematic for me for two reasons: • They do not like our arid climate here • They have a very shallow root system The latter gets them into conflict with the equally flat rooting ground covers, which I employ throughout the yard as weed control. Accordingly they get treated by me rather step-motherly. If they survive, - okay, if not, there are other, more suitable, plants to replace them. This morning I noticed something, which may be of help to rhodo growers in other more humid northerly regions. They certainly appear to be hardy enough, since they grow wild in a nearby mountain park (Manning Park), with an hardiness of 3 or less, though huge loads of snow in the region may help protect them. Thus it was with some surprise, that I noticed the following: In this photo you see three rhodos. The one to the left and the little one to the lower right have their leaves hanging down, as they typically do here in winter, but the one in front of the B-shelter, with the benefit of some of the leaf mulch around it,looks outright perky by comparison. Olaf __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them.