This spring has been relatively mild and wet, with only the occasional frosty night. It's may be partly down to these mild conditions that my red Camellia is flowering so beautifully.
Its position also helps: placed against a warm house wall, in a heavily shaded but relatively sheltered part of the garden. I also gave it a light prune in mid summer, to reduce its size, so that it would less likely to tip over during winter gales.
I have also been feeding it regularly. Earlier in the season I used a domestic product for ericaceous plants. More recently I've dosed it with Solufeed, a specialist powder that you mix with water, to treat lime-induced chlorosis. This treatment - and position - seems to have worked well. After its flowered, I'll repot it with fresh ericaceous compost and some controlled-release fertiliser granules so that it does well next year too.
Its position also helps: placed against a warm house wall, in a heavily shaded but relatively sheltered part of the garden. I also gave it a light prune in mid summer, to reduce its size, so that it would less likely to tip over during winter gales.
I have also been feeding it regularly. Earlier in the season I used a domestic product for ericaceous plants. More recently I've dosed it with Solufeed, a specialist powder that you mix with water, to treat lime-induced chlorosis. This treatment - and position - seems to have worked well. After its flowered, I'll repot it with fresh ericaceous compost and some controlled-release fertiliser granules so that it does well next year too.
Also keeping me happy are some other scarlet beauties - some early flowering Tulips (tulips from early March! amazing!) and two stellar Hippeastrum 'Royal Velvet' (Amaryllis) bulbs.
The latter I initially positioned incorrectly, in a well-lit but cool room, and they did next to nothing for several months. They actually need warmth as well as light. Once I realised this, and brought them into a warmer room, they started into growth. They have now been flowering for three months, on successive stalks. A big, showy bulb, to be sure, but they did the job and brightened up my winter. I shall be practising my propagation skills on them once they've finally finished flowering.
The latter I initially positioned incorrectly, in a well-lit but cool room, and they did next to nothing for several months. They actually need warmth as well as light. Once I realised this, and brought them into a warmer room, they started into growth. They have now been flowering for three months, on successive stalks. A big, showy bulb, to be sure, but they did the job and brightened up my winter. I shall be practising my propagation skills on them once they've finally finished flowering.
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