Neil Bromhall
February 27th, 2004, 06:22 PM
I was aked about teabags and pH and Azaleas. Here are some comments:
Acid Soil Plants
General Watch out if the leaves the leaves turn yellow in spring. This is a sign that there is a lack of iron in the soil. Adding iron soon turns the leaves green again. Use acid fertilizers for ericaceous plants. Tap water is slightly alkaline and not ideal for Acid lovers. Use rainwater. Emptying a cold teapot and tea bags around hydrangeas will in time enrich the flower colour. Kalmias and other lime-hating plants also appreciate the teabag treatment too.
Azaleas Stop feeding after mid-June. Fed through summer will produce vigorous growth at the expense of flowers.
Indoor potted Azaleas need to be kept damp at all times. If the soil dries out, the flower buds will brown and fall off before opening. You can see if it is damp enough by looking at the bark, wet mark up the stem just above the compost is correct. As soon as the stem is dry and lighter-coloured, the plant needs watering again
Azalea
R. ‘Snowbird’ One of the most fragrant azaleas
Calluna Heather Winter-flowering. Providing an evergreen carpet of green leaves fibourous roots close to the surface benefit from mulching over with plenty of compost stimulates new growth.
Camellias Spring flowering shrub. Can not tolerate drought conditions. Make sure that the soil does not dry out in summer by digging in plenty of well- rotted manure. Camellias react to drought by dropping their flower buds.
Stop feeding after mid-June. Fed through summer will produce vigorous growth at the expense of flowers.
Camellia x. williamsii Hardy with pink flowers
Camellia japonica Fully double reds, whites and yellow can be found in hundreds of different C. japonica varieties.
Cotoneaster
Gaultheria shallon Reddish young stems. Glossy dark green leaves. Sprays of pinky-white bell flowers. Flowering late spring. Dark purple berries are edible. Ht 1.2m spread 1.5m Acid soils only.
Gentian
Gentiana sino-ornata Produce carpets of striking bright blue flowers from September to November. Requires plenty of moisture. Easily propagated by division in March. Its leave turn yellow where soil is alkaline. If so, add iron to the soil.
Hamamelis Mollis
Witch Hazel Deciduous shrub. Also called Chinese witch hazel. Fragrant flowers from January to March. Rich green leaves in summer which turn yellow in autumn.
H x intermedia ‘Pallida’ Large sulphur-yellow scented flowers in January to March. Can be grown as container plants. Partial shade
Hibiscus syriacus
‘Oiseau Blue’ Spring flowering shrub that are fee flowering and easy to grow.
Hyrangea
H. macrophylla ‘Mariesii Perfecta’ also sold as H. macrophylla ‘Blue Wave’
H.macrophylla ‘Altona’ You’ll need an Acid soil to get the best blue colours. You can add aluminium salts to the soil. Hydrangeas need summer moisture.
Kalmia Lime hating. Appreciate tea and teabags.
Rhododendron Can not tolerate drought conditions. Make sure that the soil does not dry out in summer by digging in plenty of well- rotted manure. If the leaves develop a black tip and their edges roll down, this is a sure sign of drought.
Stop feeding after mid June. Fed through summer will produce vigorous growth at the expense of flowers
Rhododendron
‘Moulten Gold’ has attractive dark green leaves variegated with bright yellow.
Lonicera
Skimmia japonica
Vegetables Neutral to acid soils provide ideal conditions for most vegetables. A pH level of 6.5 to 7 is the aim for most vegetables.
Peas and beans however will do better on neutral to alkaline soils.
Acid Soil Plants
General Watch out if the leaves the leaves turn yellow in spring. This is a sign that there is a lack of iron in the soil. Adding iron soon turns the leaves green again. Use acid fertilizers for ericaceous plants. Tap water is slightly alkaline and not ideal for Acid lovers. Use rainwater. Emptying a cold teapot and tea bags around hydrangeas will in time enrich the flower colour. Kalmias and other lime-hating plants also appreciate the teabag treatment too.
Azaleas Stop feeding after mid-June. Fed through summer will produce vigorous growth at the expense of flowers.
Indoor potted Azaleas need to be kept damp at all times. If the soil dries out, the flower buds will brown and fall off before opening. You can see if it is damp enough by looking at the bark, wet mark up the stem just above the compost is correct. As soon as the stem is dry and lighter-coloured, the plant needs watering again
Azalea
R. ‘Snowbird’ One of the most fragrant azaleas
Calluna Heather Winter-flowering. Providing an evergreen carpet of green leaves fibourous roots close to the surface benefit from mulching over with plenty of compost stimulates new growth.
Camellias Spring flowering shrub. Can not tolerate drought conditions. Make sure that the soil does not dry out in summer by digging in plenty of well- rotted manure. Camellias react to drought by dropping their flower buds.
Stop feeding after mid-June. Fed through summer will produce vigorous growth at the expense of flowers.
Camellia x. williamsii Hardy with pink flowers
Camellia japonica Fully double reds, whites and yellow can be found in hundreds of different C. japonica varieties.
Cotoneaster
Gaultheria shallon Reddish young stems. Glossy dark green leaves. Sprays of pinky-white bell flowers. Flowering late spring. Dark purple berries are edible. Ht 1.2m spread 1.5m Acid soils only.
Gentian
Gentiana sino-ornata Produce carpets of striking bright blue flowers from September to November. Requires plenty of moisture. Easily propagated by division in March. Its leave turn yellow where soil is alkaline. If so, add iron to the soil.
Hamamelis Mollis
Witch Hazel Deciduous shrub. Also called Chinese witch hazel. Fragrant flowers from January to March. Rich green leaves in summer which turn yellow in autumn.
H x intermedia ‘Pallida’ Large sulphur-yellow scented flowers in January to March. Can be grown as container plants. Partial shade
Hibiscus syriacus
‘Oiseau Blue’ Spring flowering shrub that are fee flowering and easy to grow.
Hyrangea
H. macrophylla ‘Mariesii Perfecta’ also sold as H. macrophylla ‘Blue Wave’
H.macrophylla ‘Altona’ You’ll need an Acid soil to get the best blue colours. You can add aluminium salts to the soil. Hydrangeas need summer moisture.
Kalmia Lime hating. Appreciate tea and teabags.
Rhododendron Can not tolerate drought conditions. Make sure that the soil does not dry out in summer by digging in plenty of well- rotted manure. If the leaves develop a black tip and their edges roll down, this is a sure sign of drought.
Stop feeding after mid June. Fed through summer will produce vigorous growth at the expense of flowers
Rhododendron
‘Moulten Gold’ has attractive dark green leaves variegated with bright yellow.
Lonicera
Skimmia japonica
Vegetables Neutral to acid soils provide ideal conditions for most vegetables. A pH level of 6.5 to 7 is the aim for most vegetables.
Peas and beans however will do better on neutral to alkaline soils.